Estremità Del Mondo
by Little Esme
Summary: SEQUEL TO HALFLING AND BEGINNINGS! The end of the world is here, & Edward, Bella, & Alice owe a debt to the Volturi. When all life and exisistnace are gone from the Earth forever what will happen to our favoirte vampires?
1. Promise

-1**This will be the last Madison related story for me…I think. I'm pretty sure any way. You don't need to have read **_**Halfling**_** or **_**Beginnings**_**, but it might help.**

The pure light was pulling me in, but I wasn't ready. I was only sixteen, my seventeenth birthday was only three months away! My parents needed me as much as I needed them, and I was _just _granted eternity with them. Why couldn't my heart have stopped after the change was complete?

Now I looked behind me into the darkness and saw a black liquid. Below was the faint image of a pale red head child bleeding to death with her seventeen year old father grieving over her body. I was about to call out to him, to tell him I was fine, but a strong yet gentle hand rested on my shoulders, pulling me to my eternal home inside the Holy light.

"They cannot hear you. Don't worry about them, my child," boomed the man behind me. Tears streamed down my white cheeks.

"Will I ever see them again?" I whispered. Embarrassed at crying over the damned in front of the Creator, I whipped my tears away.

"Their future actions will determine their fates. I'm afraid only time will tell. For now they all flirt with the line between Heaven and Hell." He led me inside the Holy Gates, but before we had gone too far I turned back again for one more glimpse of my father.

"I'll put in a good word for all of you. I love you, and will do everything I can to see you again. I promise."

**I need two reviews before I post chapter 2!**


	2. Deal

**I promise I'll get to the **_**real**_** story soon, but this background stuff is important! This time I want 4 reviews!**

**Also, Stephenie Meyer is amazing & created most of the characters. You know who's mine & who's her's...if not what are you doing reading this?**

Five years had passed since Madison's murder; if she was alive today she would be twenty-two. Of course I would have changed her on her eighteenth birthday, despite what she always thought, because she, like Bella, only wanted immortality before she was older than us.

Bella grabbed my hand as I pulled the car under a large Washington Pine in the Forks Cemetery. I smiled at her and looked out at the sky above. The sun was hidden behind future storm clouds, but the weather was warm and nice for Washington.

Bella and I got out of the car and grabbed the fresh flowers from the back. Around her tombstone were Madison's closet friends from Seattle High, sitting and talking happily about their college lives. The younger boy was instantly alarmed when he saw Madison's youngest brother and sister walking towards them. One by one the others stared in awe at our reappearance. A few looked around for some sign of the rest of our family.

"I've never seen such a small group with such diverse colors!" whispered Bella. "Two shades of orange, one lime green, one envy green, three sky blues, two true blues, and one-Dustin-bright yellow."

"What's the difference between true blue and yellow again?"

"True blue is content or regular happy, and yellow is excited or thrilled," she explained again. It was astounding that she could tell the difference between the similar shades and meanings of the surrounding colors.

"We were wondering if we'd ever see you again!" called Dustin, Madison's almost boyfriend, as he jumped up. The others followed, most wondering why we hadn't come back earlier.

"It seems that we keep missing you. We try to come back every Memorial Day or her birthday." Bella bent down to replace the wilted flowers in the vase. The red roses tremendously stood out against the dirty stone beneath. Bella started to scrub the year's worth of grime off of the granite and gold name.

"We all decided that today would be a great time to get together again, and we figured Madison wouldn't want us to cry when it's so nice out, so we're having a small celebration of the day," explained Christina, our daughter's last best friend, pointing to the blanket and juice boxes on the ground.

_Edward, where's your human?_ taunted a female voice inside my head. I immediately froze. Bella snapped her head towards me, surprised my by sudden color change. She, too, froze to listen; the humans looked at one another in confusion.

"Edward, I don't hear anything," she whispered so soft that only I could hear her. I shook my head, and pointed to my forehead. She understood and stood up at my side.

_Is that your Bella? Caius will be pleased, but we want to know what a vampire would be doing in a grave yard…with humans. _It was a male who spoke the second time. I forced back a frustrated growl.

"Remove the humans or we will," threatened the female. Bella jumped in alarm and searched for the voice that only we could hear. The humans by then were getting paranoid.

"Trust us and get out of here," I warned.

"Edward, what do we say about Madison? They're not stupid, and if Aro's here he'll know!" I thought for a moment and took her hand. I turned back to Madison's old friends and hinted that they needed to leave before dragging Bella towards the Volturi and the car.

Hidden in the shadows behind the large Pine was Jane and Aro, both smiling at a job well done. They looked Bella over and began wildly guessing about her vampire power. Both weren't even close.

"It's good to see you again, Bella," purred Jane as she stepped slightly out of the shadows and towards us.

"I hope you are happy with my transformation, Jane," she shyly answered. Then Aro gave her a crooked smile.

"Is her mind still secure, Edward?" he asked before reaching out to touch my wife. He didn't give me a chance to answer before he tried to read her deepest thoughts. A smug smile spread across my face when Aro's face dropped in vanquish.

"And what do you have to hide, Edward? Another look like that and you'll be next!" I whipped the smile off. "So _why_ were you here?"

"I don't see how that's any of your business, Aro." I tried to keep calm because Bella's grip on my hand was growing tighter as my temper rose.

"The Volturi make anything and everything their business. Answer us." Aro then grabbed my arm tightly to make sure I didn't break away. Memories flew inside my head as Aro searched for our purpose. Scenes of Bella and I in Alaska drew closer, and I fought to keep them hidden, but there was no use. He saw them all, and took his time watching the news of Bella's pregnancy.

"Explain, Edward!" he roared as he let go. Bella looked scared, and I panicked. If they knew vampires could reproduce with humans… anything could happen. Aro then looked at Jane with meaning.

"Alright! Madison was our daughter." I sighed in defeat as the words processed through their minds.

"Impossible," spat Jane.

"Possible," I assured her. "When Bella was still human… things happened, and she got pregnant. Search my mind if you must, but I promise that Madison was mine." Jane glared at us for a minute.

"She was human with semi-vampire speed and strength, but she was killed about five years ago by a vampire named Albert," Bella explained. This lit the Volturi's imagination. As I expected they began to think about replicating the dampire possibility and planning its' change.

"I won't let you do that!" My temper shot out of control at the thought of other Madison's going through the same emotional confusion of split instincts.

"And how do you plan to carry that out," taunted Jane. Aro cracked up laughing. Then a disastrous thought hit our minds.

"Very well. We liked Carlisle, and for him and his family we'll keep this Halfling experiment a dream… for a price. You know Caius wants you and Alice to join us, and Bella's power is intriguing. I'm almost _positive_ he'd want her, too. Here's what I propose: service for a secret?"

"Would the others allow you to make such a strong deal?" asked Bella.

"If not, we'll take all the blame, but I think we're safe. It has long been prophesied about the end of the world. Some of us believe it while others laugh at the ridiculous idea. All I know is that it has been thought about far too much to be laughed at, and I say that if it is proven true, you two and Alice join us until the last twenty-four hours of existence," said Jane. I thought about it for a while. I didn't believe that the world would ever end, against my previously Catholic teachings, but Jane was right: it might be possible.

"Edward, you can't be serious!" cried Bella after studying my colors. No doubt they were changing as fast as she could interrupt them. "You can't agree for Alice."

"She's right. I can't sign away her life to you without her consent. I couldn't even do that to Bella; however, I can and do." As soon as the words spilled out I regretted them. Bella almost fell in disbelief, and I couldn't blame her.

"You have my word, too," she sighed. I knew she would, but I prayed that she'd see the stupidity in my words and make the right choice. The Volturi smiled and disappeared in the shadows as the rain began to fall.

_We'll be back for your service when the world ends_, promised Aro.


	3. Year 2121

**I never got the fourth review! I really want to know what you guys think & I don't want any chapter with a review. If you're hanging on to the edge of your seat get everyone you know to review. I know the last two chapters weren't like me at all, but that was jsut background stuff for the end so here's the first REAL chapter. I'm still writing it off the top of my head so it's taking a little while to update, sorry. sorry if i don't get to update soon. another winter storm is here...but i'll have PLENTY of time to write. XD**

The fall dawn was quickly approaching, but I didn't care. Edward's loving white light shown around him as he began kissing my neck. I laughed a little as his cool breath tickled me, and I wrapped my arms around his bare chest. He rolled over on top of me and rested his head against me; even though it was peaceful to have some alone time with him I was restless and wanted more.

Just yesterday we had gotten back from London where Rosalie and Emmett renewed their vows. All of the Cullens were staying in the couple's house for three months while we planned their latest wedding. Rosalie looked as beautiful as ever with her French style wedding gown and silver tiara, and next to her strong, handsome Emmett they were the envy of many. The English trip was fun, and it was great to see the family again after being away for so long, but there were too many vampires with sensitive ears for Edward and I to be together. Now was our chance to celebrate our own relationship that had lasted over one hundred years!

"Isabella?" Edward whispered almost too soft for me to hear. I opened my eyes, something I usually fought against because of the close up colors that surrounded everyone I saw. He was still the sparkling white light that only showed when true loves met. I closed my eyes and lifted his head to kiss him, but- RIIINNGGG!

We both froze in shock and annoyance. Edward's light flashed into a sky blue above a bright annoyance red. He rolled over onto his back and growled loudly. I got up and looked at the caller id and growled even louder than Edward.

"Speaker on," I commanded the phone. The ringing ceased, and Alice yelled from the other line.

"Good morning, you two!" pipped the little vampire. Edward rolled over again and faced to phone.

"Hey, Alice," I sighed.

"Bad timing? Well you would've been late for class if I didn't call."

"Like college really matters to us," laughed Edward, now sitting beside me.

"But Bella is getting her teaching masters!"

"I doubt you just called to tell us to go to class."

"You're right. The whole world will be buzzing soon after they see the news tonight! Remember that stupid Y2K panic? Deja vu but bigger!" I looked to Edward. His face was calm, but he had a bright orange glow around him. I hung up with Alice and dressed for school.

Thrity minutes later we were both ready, backpacks stuffed with pointless books, and in my blackish-purple Acura. The year 2121 was a vmapire's driving dream- school zone speed limits were 75 and regular streets went up to 150. Within ten minutes we were outside the Chicago State University History Center for my first class.

The ancient campus was built back in Edward's youth and, according to him, hasn't changed much over the past 200 years! The circular campus offices were rements of a diverse past, preserved in time. The trees provided coverage on rainy days, and many students would run from tree trunk to tree trunk to stay dry. The university, though, had tripled in size since its start, and now had huge, two-story history, language, science, modern technology, mathematic, and high arts buildings plotted around the circular entry.

"I'll see you at lunch?" asked Edward before he split with his friends for the Arts building. I threw my pack over my shoulder and faced the History building.

"Yeah, if you'll be back by then." He turned yellow.

"I won't be gone long...There's something I need to do while we're here, and today feels like the perfect time to do it." My friends Charlotte, Liz, and Lauren walked over to us.

"Will you tell me where you're going?" He had told me on the plane home the other night that he needed to see something while we still lived in Chicago, but secretly I had hoped he'd bring me, too.

"Yes, but not tell after I'm back. You'd want to come, too, and I need to be alone. You're not upset?" He looked sad and hopeful at the same time, and his colored aurora reflected his repent. He knew good and well that I couldn't stay made at him if my life depended on it. I smiled and shook my head. He gave me a quick kiss, and we all had to run to our ridiculously early morning class.

My North American History class was, of course, upstairs. Charlotte and Lauren also had the same class with me so the three of us left Liz at her European History downstairs and managed to run inside just as the final bell finished. The classroom was small for a large college, holding fifty people tops, and its walls were littered with pictures of documents, maps, famous paintings, newspaper articles, and magazine covers. Professor Littleton wasn't in the room yet, so I wandered around the room for the first time and glanced at the old _Time_ magazine covers.

I laughed at the latest issue (Jan. 28, 2008) because Edward and I, randomly digging through our mixed possessions, found that very one last week! It showed the old comic book drawing (like from _Batman _or _Spider-Man_) of a couple kissing and thinking about chemistry and biology. I read the title: "The Science of Romance: Why we need love to survive." The cover next to that showed old U.S. Vice President Dick Chaney and Colin Powell. Just as I began to read the title a man entered the room.

"Take your seats," said a male voice with a _slight_ French accent. I hurried back to my desk where Lauren was sitting and took out a spiral like the rest of the class. I dug into my purse, looking for a pencil when she nudged me. I looked up, startled at her bright orange and sky blue glow.

"What?" I whispered, looking around for something out the ordinary. She took my spiral and began writing as fast as she could.

_That's not Littleton! She's a tiny stick woman that is always bragging about how she travels the world and all that. Easy teacher, but this guy must be the one she warned us about. _

"Huh? This is my first day here this year, remember? Fill me in, what's going on?" I whispered. Her blue and orange switched to a bright angry red.

_This guy is a friend of hers, but he's a loyal Frenchmen. She told us to keep our mouths shut and agree to every stupid comment he says. No doubt he'll say the French won the war thirty years ago against the U.S. navy. What was that war over again?_

_Oil. Looks like he could use some time outside though. He's sickly white!_ I scribbled back.

"So are you!" she mouthed. We both laughed a little. I was white, but this guy was _too _white. Maybe it was just the lighting that discolored him. He picked up the roll list and began reading the names. He looked up from time to time to see the name's face.

He was probably in the mid thirties or early forties, about five foot seven with thin, light brown hair half way down his neck. He was quick and sharp, and had eagle like eyes… a hard topaz color much like mine. He looked strong and fierce, and I could understand why so many of my classmates were scared of him. But there was something familiar about him…something sinister. At last he reached my name.

"Cullen, Isabella?" He held the "I" too long, just like another vampire I knew.

"Count me absent, Albert!" I yelled as I gathered up my stuff. Lauren was speechless next to me, but I didn't care what she or anybody thought. Albert stiffened at the sound of my voice and stared at me in awe.

"Have we met?" he stumbled slowly. I stopped at the teacher's desk and stared at him in amazement. His colors changed like the Northern Lights as he pieced together past memories. I stood waiting for him to remember me, but my patience was wearing thin.

"How is the vegetarian life going? Or have you gone back to nature's way?" He gasped.

"Bella from the animal group? How are you? It's been a long time." He was stumbling over his words, looking for the safest combination.

"You're avoiding my question. Have you forgot what I see, Albert? I can see the truth not only around you, but in your cowardly eyes! You've gone back to your old ways, haven't you?" He was trembling now, afraid I was going to lose my temper like Edward had after our daughter's death. The murder was only alive because I thought he was truly sorry for the damage he did, but I could see now I should have let the Cullens take him down with Sierra, his partner in crime.

"Your ways are strict and too hard to follow."

"I have lived by them!"

"But you know no other way," he pointed out. I could sense the confusion and fear behind me, so I let the subject go.

"Edward is here, too, so I'd watch my thoughts and back. But that's only a suggestion," I warned as I turned out of the room. Once again I was glad Edward couldn't read my mind because if he knew Albert was here, Albert would meet his pit in Hell before afternoon.

Edward, just as he promised, was back before noon. He felt the need to see his parents' graves before the old cemetery was destroyed and buried under cement, like so many old places were. He told me stories about his old life and was thankful that the Fork's cemetery (now a section of the enormous Seattle) was still standing. I tried to remain calm at the mention of our daughter Madison, but just then Albert walked across the open courtyard, in plain sight and range of Edward. I desperately held my husband back as he growled and tried walk towards the vampire teacher.

"What is _he_ doing here?" he yelled.

"He's only a sub. My history teacher should be back soon, I hope." I distracted Edward and took him home before the three of us started a fight.

The news came on shortly after we got home, and remembering Alice's vision, we turned on to watch it. To our surprise the entire segment was devoted to the "Mayan Mistake" featuring Professor Joanne Littleton!


	4. Mayan Mistake

-1**I want more opinions, guys! You know I can get ahead of myself and not explain something so don't be afraid to tell me you're confused. I love questions & I love answering them. Give me some predictions! I'm kinda making this up as I go along so I may use some ideas.**

_"All of these events may not be coincidence. Professor Littleton from the University of Chicago, after revisiting the Mayan writings in the Mexico City National Museum, noticed the ground breaking Mayan prediction mistake!_

_" 'Yes, I have always been interested in the Mayan's intelligence. They were a genius culture that had been right in everything else, so how could they have been wrong? Well, I have spent all my life studying the writing and drawing to understand the people better when I noticed that a few things didn't add up just right: the date December 21, 2012 _actually_ said December 12, 2121...otherwise known as the "End of the World."_

She continued explaining how she had truthfully decoded the world's fate, but I wasn't paying attention anymore. The whole thing seemed ridiculous! The prediction was wrong the first time so what made this time any different? Nothing. Edward's color flashed and caught my attention again. He pointed back to the screen where my professor was talking about her friend Albert De LaSalé.

_"The passage around the dark date insisted that it was the stars that decided exactly what would happen, so I talked to Albert, who has a knack for astronomy and combat. He is currently studying my translated text to better understand our situation. He did say, however, that Armageddon could be coming…"_ She trailed off, and the news anchor took over the story.

We both stared at the TV screen as the next news story came on. Thinking back on what was said I snorted. It was stupid. It couldn't be true, could it? Albert? Since when did murderous Albert become an astronomy expert. Well, Professor Littleton was right about one thing: he was a skilled warrior. I growled at the thought of him.

I looked over to my sky blue and dark orange husband. His face stared blankly at the screen, his eyes were lost in deep thought, and when I touched his arm he barley noticed.

"Edward? Don't tell me you believe this." He raised his eyebrows and looked at me. He sighed, and we sat down on the black leather couch. I commanded the TV to shut off and waited for Edward to explain his fears.

"I don't know," he finally said. "I grew up as a Catholic in Chicago- about three miles from here at St. Anne's. Every Sunday my father would lead the way to the church, and I used to be a strong Christian. I still believe the same things, except I know there's no chance for us, Bella. Please don't interrupt. The preacher warned us about this and how the sinners would be left behind for Satan's Hell, but I never believed it. It was one of the few things-the only thing maybe- that I ever questioned about my religion."

"I don't understand. You know better than to lie to me-"

"I'd never lie to."

"You say you don't believe it, but you're scared. I don't need to see emotions to see the fear in your eyes." His blue turned to gold as he struggled for the right way to say it. I waited with my amazing vampire patients until he was ready.

"Think back to the year 2012, ok? Like Alice said, it was the Y2K panic all over again. The Mayans from ancient Mexico predicated that the world would stop on the twelfth stroke of midnight on December 21, 2012. It became the Religious Year where everyone convert to some kind of religion. Just like in 2000 nothing happened. Many didn't believe either event because there was no proof; I was one of them."

"Alice didn't sound worried when she called, and she hasn't been wrong yet. Why is this time any different?" People make up or "interpret" facts all the time for glory, and even though some people believe them it didn't make it true.

"The natural resources are almost gone, the sun is destined to burn out, Global Warming has been accepted and is growing, and the Mayan marking make more sense like this." He counted each reason on his fingers. When he put it _that_ way it did seem likely. I looked away and sighed against the back of the couch.

Outside cars, literally, flew by, hovering above the grey concrete roads. The orange, pink, red, and purple skyline was fading behind the black, starlit blanket above the enormous skyscrapers. Could it be possible that all of this would end in a matter of months? What would happen to the immortals? A worse thought popped through: would the Volturi remember our deal?

Edward brought me back to reality when he lightly kissed my cheek. He smiled wryly and helped me up from the couch. We walked upstairs, into our room, and onto our balcony. Our long, white futon was pushed against the east wall and looked at the setting sun. Two simple, cast iron chair sat opposite of the futon, and the stereo speakers hung from both corners. We sat on the futon, and Edward ordered the stereo to play a song from 2117. I cuddled in Edward's strong arms, his hand on top of mine, and commanded the phone to call Alice.

"You saw," said Alice from the phone speakers next to the stereo speakers. It sounded like Emmett and Jasper were in the back making bets.

"Do you see any of that happening?" I asked.

"A lot of it is proven fact. Temperatures have been rose over twenty degrees since I net Jasper, last year we ran out of natural gas, and the solar storms have been messing with the sun's and Earth's magnetic fields. I haven't seen anything dangerous yet, but there's still time. I'm more concerned about the Volturi. They've got plans for all four of us." Edward and I shot up at once. Alice wasn't part of the deal we made! Edward and I agreed to join them.

"After you two agree to join them one day they came to Jasper and I, and we agreed to the same terms you did. When they come for you, they'll want us, too. Don't worry just yet; we've got some time."

"How much time?" I heard Edward ask, but I had already left his arms and ran down for my Acura.


	5. Coming

**Keep on reviewing! The more comments, questions, predictions, complements that happier I am! Oh, Stephanie Meyer is great; the Cullens and Volturi aren't mine, yatta yatta yatta, blah blah blah. Did I forget anything? Nope? Good. Going on. Language warning!**

A classic rock song from 2090 blasted through my car speakers as I turned the corner and sped into busy Chicago. I forced myself to concentrate on the meshed lyrics instead of dwelling on the guilt. Typical me _had_ to blame herself for getting Alice and Jasper into this mess; typical me _had_ to put herself in the worst situation possible. I hit the steering wheel, almost cracking the black plastic. A mile or so in the middle of town were Liz and her roommates sitting outside of a coffee shop. I parked the Acura and joined the group.

"Bella! What the hell got into you today?" gasped Liz as I sat down next to her. I had already guessed that Lauren would tell everyone about my walkout, and that was proof. The blonde girl across from me instantly dropped her magazine and listened to the gossip.

"I wasn't expecting him," I admitted. All of their colors changed to yellow-orange as they waited for me to go on. I sighed and kind of gave in. "We- my family- have met him before. He's responsible for losing something very important to all of us, and we should have turned him in. I was stupid and thought that he was truly sorry, but he admitted to me yesterday that he'd gone back to his old ways. It threw me over the edge." I smiled weakly at them and tried to change the subject to something happier, but the little dark hair girl spoke up.

"Did you hear the news? Could it be true? Do we really have just a few months left?" Her voice was shaky as she addressed me.

"It's bull shit!" cried the blonde.

"No, way. There's too many facts that support it, Elizabeth. I say party while we still can, and if we're wrong this becomes one hell of a year!" exclaimed the redhead on my other side. Her body was a firey yellow. Liz rolled her eyes and looked off the to sky.

"I don't think we'll know for sure until it happens, but it sure does make you wonder about life, doesn't it, Bella?" A faint golden glow shown from her. I agreed and leaned forward in my chair.

The subject had finally changed into the normal college gossip until my phone announced that I had a text. I pulled it out and opened the message center, searching for the new text. At the top of the list was a New York area code and the message: Felix is coming. He leaves tonight.

_Oh, crap!_

"You think she's back already?" asked the sky blue Lauren as we walked into our History class the next day. I doubted it, but, even though I didn't want to, I needed to talk to Albert before he left. I steadied my nerves as we sat down and waited for the "crazy Frenchman."

The morning bell rang, but no one except for a few late students entered the room. Many were talking across the room to each other and laughing about the previous day's lesson about the English Monarchy. Nearly fifteen minutes had passed before the vampire Albert De La Salé strolled in and locked the door shut.

He carried a large bag on his back that clanged and rattled when he moved, and when he set it down on his desk it landed with a metallic crash. The noise that had everyone in the class half scared out of their minds didn't seem to bother Albert at all. He picked up the roster near the computer screen and began calling out names. I was next, but he simply tossed the papers on the floor and looked up at me.

"Should I count you absent again today, Mrs. Cullen?" he questioned sarcastically. He turned bright purplish-pink as he smirked at me. I glared back and lowly growled, hoping no one else could hear it. He laughed back.

"None of that, if you don't mind. We must put the past behind us as we face a darkening world with little of our food. Let me assure you, Isabella, that if Joanne is right the world's _true_ kings and queens will be lost and thirsty until we meet his fire. This isn't the time to hold a grudge." If he expected any of us to forget and forgive he was out of his mind! A few people around me turned and looked, anticipating my next move or remark. Last year Edward and I hadn't made a reputation of being rebellious or outgoing so the heavy tension between me and another was surprising news.

Albert began to dig in his oversized bag and pulled out knives, swords, spears, chains, shackles, and a few empty rifles and shotguns. The class was gasping and whispering and shaking. Orange and yellow flames sprouted from each person was Albert laid the weapons out in the open. He lightly laughed at our reactions as he traced his fingers over each weapon.

"Today I will introduce you to the French military. As many of you heard last night on the news I am skilled in combat, and in my youth I served in the French army until I was caught practicing blade motions better than the Officer." He smiled gleefully as he remembered back to his ancient days. "Though I have never officially tested my blade skills let me guarantee that I AM the best blades-men in the world and demand that respect. Understood? Perfect. This was a deadly and cowardly way of combat back in my days, but it was effective! To this day I would say that a long blade like this is more deadly than your sophisticated guns if you gave it to the right man."

He continued the lesson talking about the fighting styles of the French-Canadian armies of the 1800s all the way to the present day. He had every male in the room clinging to his every word and drooling at his lightening fast reflexes. Even some of the athletic girls were thunderstruck at the lesson, myself included. I could almost see how he took down his prey if venom wasn't enough. The lesson was almost over when my phone buzzed.

Lauren, next to me, barely heard the noise over Albert aggressive shouts, but of course the vampire heard it loud and clear. He stopped dead in the middle of an impressive maneuver and darted his eyes straight toward mine. I slowly put my hands back on my desk and listened to the lesson again, or at least acted like I was listening. Again I pulled out my phone to read the new message: I hear Felix & Dimitri in the main office.

"Shit!" I whispered. _This_ stopped Albert for good. He threw the 2115 rifle across the room and perfectly into his bag and stared directly at me.

"Have something to share, Isabella?" He was bright and normal red and his onyx eyes seemed even darker. I shook my head. "Then don't interrupt me again, Bella. I understand your hatred for me, but I'll be gone in a day or two so put up with me until then," he warned so low that no one else heard. I nodded back, and fought hard to hide a smile. I wondered how he would react to me once he knew I was about to join the kings and queens of the "true kings and queens." And right on cue came a guilty vampire's worst nightmare: the Volturi.


	6. Assinments

**What? No reviews from last time? Shame on you all. I'm thinking that I'll have to be mean soon, and if you've read my other fanfics you know how evil I can make it. OK enough of me rambling on. Here's chapter 6. Sorry it's dull, but the next one's better.**

Felix standing in the doorway, waiting patiently for me, as I slowly gathered my books and paper into my pack. I stood up and walked over to Felix, trying to look as brave as I could. Albert was standing in front of his desk and even whiter than normal as I tried to nicely greeted the other vampire.

"You Cullens are a very strange cult. Socializing with… them, and now _teaching_ them?" scoffed Felix, his glow fading into annoying red. Both Albert's and my head shot towards each other.

"NO!" we both screamed; I finished.

"No, he's not one of us. Let's just say that he's the reason you found us in Forks." Albert's head dropped in remorse at Madison's name. Felix seemed to understand our connection and said nothing else.

Felix led me out of the History Building and towards the center courtyard to wait for Edward and his escort. I sat down on one of the benches and took out a piece of paper.

_Lauren_, _please give to the others. Edward and I are moving soon, but we don't know how soon. It could be now or tomorrow. Edward has been offered a higher job that's closer to his oldest brother and sister, and he's decided to take it. It starts as soon as we get there. I'm sorry for almost ignoring you since we got back from Britain, but things have come up. Good luck to you all._

I read over the note a few times, each time feeling worse and worse about just leaving, but what else could I do? At least I was being completely honest with them- probably for the first time ever.

"Do you need to give that to someone?" asked Felix from behind me. I nodded, and he took it. He then ran toward the main offices to deliver the note. He was back within seconds, but he wasn't alone. Edward and Dimitri were walking with him, all of them so serious.

The four of us left the university campus and were on our way to Volterra, Italy. Felix and Aro had come on a small private jet that was too plain for "royalty." The seats were small and artificial white leather, and the carpet, expensive no doubt, looked old compared to the brand new Falcon 50 exterior. Luckily, the Volturi sat in the front and let Edward and I talk alone.

"Where's Alice and Jasper?" I asked. I expected Edward to be mad or frustrated or annoyed or _something_, but he looked rather calm as he sat back in the recliner-like chair. I sighed and leaned forward against the simple, wood table between us, trying to read his expressionless face. At last a smile broke out and he chuckled softly.

"You still have trouble reading me? They don't know if Jane and Aro have reached Alice and Jasper yet, but it won't be long before we're all in front of Caius." He frowned a little and listened to our captor's thoughts.

"What? Do you know what their 'plans' are?" He looked slightly disappointed at the others' thoughts and shook his head at my question.

"I've already talked to Dimitri about that, but he doesn't know either. It doesn't matter if we know them now or later because what can we do about it?" So that was it; we were on a plane with two vampires I hoped I'd never have to see again and on our way to Volterra, Italy to live in medieval darkness.

The sun was almost out when Falcon began its decent over Siena, Italy. Outside the jet was a long black car, open and ready for its four passengers. The Volturi allowed Edward and I to get in first, and after we were all inside the driver turned west towards the small town of Volterra.

The 600 kilometer ride was vaguely familiar from past visits, the most resent about eighty years ago when I officially became a Stregoni Benifici, but I couldn't understand why we didn't land closer to the town.

"Security reasons," explained Dimitri, speaking to me for the first time. "Caius demands that all vampires enter and exit the city in full darkness, even if it's cloudy." I didn't mind the view, but I was still uncomfortable around non-vegetarians.

Within just a couple of hours I could see the stone wall of Volterra. The iron gates creaked open as we drove past and shut the instant we were fully inside the city limits. Three- and four-story apartments lined the narrow city streets, and local stores were lit in bright colors to attract passing citizens. The large car didn't phase any of the people on the streets.

The two Volturi sat staring at the roof of the car, impassive, but Edward was happily taking in every light, face, and building with some interest. The city had changed so much since we had last been, and I couldn't wait to roam the streets to test my limited Italian vocabulary. But all my thoughts stopped once I saw the castle where the Volturi lived and ruled.

"You are to meet the others in the throne room. Caius is excited to see you again," said Dimitri and Felix before leaving us in the entry. Jane, from the other side of the room, beckoned us to follow her.

"You'll learn your way around here in no time, but first there is business to attend to. Alice and Jasper were wondering where you were." She then pushed the enormous mahogany and gold trimmed doors open. Alice and Jasper were smiling and glowing true blue beside the white headed "king."

"Welcome. Your brother and sister have saved you the trouble of explaining Madison, and I must say I'm disappointed that we never had the pleasure of meeting her. But that is the past, and the future is so short, even for our standards. I want this city to remain calm and prosperous to the very end, which over time may become a problem. I'm depending on Alice's ability to see uprising or disaster, Edward's ability to hear what the people are thinking and wanting, and Bella's and Jasper's abilities to see and change disruptive feelings," explained Caius.

"You must understand that exploring the city is only allowed when it's safe," added Jane mainly to Edward.

"That was a misunderstanding and won't happen again," apologized Edward. Jane looked skeptical, but let Caius continue.

"Wonder through the city all you like, but be careful about the weather. Expose our secrets, and we'll have to deal with accordingly. I know that all of you have been living only on animal blood, so I don't think I'll need to remind you not to hunt within the walls. That should be all for tonight. You will find everything you need in your rooms in the east wing on the second floor. Edward and Bella have the third room on the left, and Alice and Jasper have the sixth door to the right. If you need anything there will always be someone to assist you; just ask." Then they all left to go their own separate ways, leaving the four of us alone in the dark room.

"Good to see you again!" screamed Alice, jumping into a huge bear hug. The guys laughed behind us, and we all went to find our rooms.

"It's going to rain tomorrow afternoon so let's go explore then, huh?" asked Alice outside of Edward and my room.

"Tomorrow afternoon," we promised before shutting the door behind us.


	7. Fact of Fiction

**I'll keep writing, but I expect a review for the rest of these chapters! I'm trying to make the chapters longer, but it's hard to find the time for it. I'm usually on in small segments. I've posted a "color-nary" on my profile so you can read that if you can't figure out the colors. I've been meaning to do that, but I lost that paper…again. I won't post again until I get a review.**

Our room was much larger than Edward and I had ever had, at least 100 feet long and 150 feet wide! In the middle of the room was a _long_, crimson red, blue, and gold Italian sofa resting under an ever larger crimson red and blue rug. The sofa faced an elegant Baroque- like coffee table, complete with a sterling silver tea set- just like Gran used to have. The living quarters wall supported a black plasma and touch screen TV with blue ray player and surround sound. On either side of the TV were black shelves that reached the towering ceiling.

Edward and I walked right past the living room and into the master bedroom part of the room. A king sized bed with more pillows than a pillow factory stood out like a peninsula in the royal sea of egg cream carpet. Two night stands and soft blue lamps sat on both sides of the bed. A bright window, one of the many in the apartment, showed a beautiful Tuscan city street, full of activity even in the night. On the opposite side of the bedroom was a closet worthy of Alice and Rosalie: fifteen feet deep and twenty feet wide, full of the newest clothes for both of us. But a Volturi closet wouldn't be complete without their traditional black robes, which hung in the back of the closet hall.

"It's amazing, Edward," I gasped after exploring most of our rooms. I looked back and saw my sky blue husband who was almost laughing in astonishment.

"It almost makes you curious about Casius's room, doesn't it? The king of the castle would have the best room in the palace, right?" I shook my head in awe as I walked out to the living room balcony. A light warm breeze brushed against my cold skin, making my smile.

_So this is it, _I thought while I rested against the cast iron rail. This was my-our- home, and our city. Not just in a "oh we live here" kind of our, but _our_ city like it was Jane's Casius's, Dimitri's, Felix's, Marcus's, and Aro's city. Our jobs were simple: keep the people calm till the end, and at least Edward and I weren't alone. I sighed.

"You seem sad now, but just a minute ago you were almost happy. What's wrong?" Edward was standing beside me, staring up at the sliver of moon above.

"We never did tell the rest of the family. Do you think Alice or Jasper said anything to Carlisle or Esme? Esme's been a second mother to me- my only mother since Renee died-, and I feel guilty for not telling her," I admitted. Edward smiled and grabbed me around me waist. He kissed my hair before replying.

"They didn't tell her, but we can call them. How about now?" I froze and tried to think about how we could break the news to them. I imagined shock- plenty of that!- and fear and maybe some confusion- Edward and Alice had always been clear that they didn't want anything to do with the Volturi. He smiled reassuringly and pulled my by my hands towards the phone in the living room.

I watched as he casually dialed our parents' number and began talking to Carlisle like nothing happened. Minutes crawled by, and my patience wore- I never acquired the never-ending patience the rest of the Cullens had.

"Chicago was fun, but we don't live there anymore."

_Finally!_ I almost screamed. I scooted forward to the edge of the couch and waited nervously for Edward to reveal their reaction, but as always he remained calm and collective.

"Shortly after Madison died we had to make a deal with Jane and Aro. They promised to keep Madison's existence as long as we agreed to join them when the end was confirmed, and it has. Alice and Jasper also agreed to this, and they're here, too." He was silent for a while, revealing no hint to our parents' reaction and driving me insane with each second.

"No, we're all fine, but I don't know when we'll see you again. I seriously doubt they'll let us leave the area except to hunt… No, we'll call all the time, promise, but we need to go right now. We'll call tomorrow sometime. Bye." He hung up, sighed, and raised his eyebrows. Multiple shades of blue flashed around him until he peacefully closed his eyes.

"Esme didn't freak?" I asked. He smiled and shook his head.

"Esme never 'freaks', Bella. She's worried of course, but Carlisle took it very well. They said not to worry about them and to enjoy Volterra while we can; it's a beautiful city when we can go outside."

The sun's flaming glow crept through the open bedroom window and across Edward's bare, glistening chest. I quietly laughed and rolled over to face my husband an morning sun. He turned onto his side and held me close to him until the sun lit up the whole apartment. Outside thunder began to rumble in the distance, just like Alice had predicted.

"Edward! Bella! Wake up, sleepy heads!" called Alice from the grand hallway. She knocked loudly on the main doors and waited for us to get up. Both Edward and I growled at our sister's bad timing-again.

"We're coming," Edward called before he grabbed his clothes and ran to the doors. I followed and jumped to the little vampire, but Jasper jumped between us.

"Alice said you would try to attack," he smirked. Edward pulled him off me and playfully pushed him against the wall. Marcus called from down the hall.

"Ahh, the Cullens. The rain should be here by noon, as I'm sure Alice has told you, so we'd like you all to explore Volterra. Wear the black robes we gave you, and remember that the Volturi are just a legend," we warned us before exiting on his way. They never stayed around much, did they?

We changed into the robes and waited for the rain to cover the sun. Alice, Jasper, and Edward of course pulled off the black robes better than anyone, although they all said that I never saw myself right. I rolled my eyes at the absurd statement they'd been saying for the past 100 years, and darted outside the second the sky turned grey.

Talkative Italians lined the tiny streets and shouted to one another from across the way, and little children ran from here to there, jumping in the streets' pothole puddles. Young couples laughed and played in the gentle sprinkle while the elders cursed the skies for their aching bones and joints. I laughed at the random bits of Italian I was picking up and asked Edward to translate a little bit for me. His Italian was not much better than mine since neither of us had taken it any further than to learn the Stregoni laws and promise.

Alice and Jasper sprinted away by themselves, leaving Edward and I to stroll along the stone sidewalk. Occasionally a little kid would run into us and stiffen in fear and embarrassment, but we always smiled and tried to say hello in our rusty Italian.

"Susi? Mon-money… poor?" stumbled a withering woman dressed in grey rags and brown bag. The woman wasn't very old, forties or fifties at the most, but luck, by the looks of her, had passed her by years and years ago. I reached into the secret pocket in the robes for some extra coins to give her. She took the gold thankfully, and I think she said she'd never forget the gift before she left down the road.

Another woman who passed us stopped dead in her tracks when she saw our long black robes. She spoke too quickly for Edward and I to pick up anything. She looked at us, puzzled, and began again, much slower this time, but again we didn't understand a word. She motioned for her male friend to interpret.

"She said you are from the castle, yes? Your robes are usually pictured in paintings of the Volturi, the legend rulers of the city." Both Italians were glowing an intense sky blue and orange.

"We live there, yes. You believe the Volturi is a myth?" asked Edward. The two laughed and nodded. I remembered when Alice and I came here alone to stop Edward from the worst crime I could imagine and the city wide celebration about their "rulers." I fought to keep from laughing at the humans' mistake.

"Caius had no heir when he died 3,000 years ago, but we laugh at myth. It is a saying that if someone breaks the law they feed the Volturi and Caius's growing clan. Some say there are five or six 'rulers' that hide in the castle's shadows. All good fun, but the robes are a symbol of absolute monarchs," the boy explained. They then ran off to enjoy the increasing downfall, but they left a lot for us to think about. No one was scared of what was to come, but they did fear what was a silly joke or secret truth about the forbidden castle.


	8. Preperations

**Thanks for the review, but I'd like someone else to review, too! Correct my MANY mistakes! Ask questions! Make predictions! Tell me I suck, I really don't care what, but I want someone else to review this time, too!**

Carlisle's p.o.v.

This past two years were quiet and peaceful, but Esme and I missed being with all six of our children. Sebeka, Minnesota was a great small town that both of us fell in love with instantly, so the thought of leaving was hard. Esme was content with her antique job; treasure hunters from all over the state would ask for help finding rare pieces. Everyone called her a born natural.

My job was going very well, too, and everyone was surprised at how well a twenty-five year old doctor could cure people. Many thought Esme and I were crazy for not going to a bigger city where we could both make much more money, but money never mattered to me, even when I didn't have it. My work and family were all I needed to make me happy.

"Dr. Cullen, my boy, there you are!" cheered old, jolly, Dr. Rich Studwell. The round, white haired man dragged a middle aged woman behind min and right towards me.

"What can I do for you?" I asked the lady. She was trying to be brave, but, like all humans, her racing heart beat told me she was scared.

"We need a second opinion, and you're the first name of that!" Dr. Studwell briefly explained that the woman's husband had heart trouble and needed surgery. I checked on the man myself, and went over every other alternative, but none would work as well.

"I'm afraid that is the best solution. Don't worry though ma'am. Rich is the best surgeon here. Your husband is good hands." After that Dr. Studwell lead me aside to let the news sink in. I could tell he wanted to talk to me about something important, but he took his time about it. He mentioned the weather, business, and medical topics before I stopped him

"Rich, there's something bothering you." He half smiled and kind of nodded, always looking up at me with meaningful eyes.

"There's been some talk about you and your wife, Carlisle, and well, frankly I don't know what to say. We all think there's something you've been keeping from us, and it's time to let it out in the open," he muttered. I was stunned and stopped breathing. There was only one secret Esme and I kept from everyone: We were vampires.

"I'm an honest man, Rich. I thought everyone knew that."

"In a small town word gets around quickly, and I am saddened by this. Why are you moving?" He quietly shouted the question. Relief broke out in my face as I tried control my speech.

"Yes, that is something we have been wanting to do for a while now- to be closer to the family-, but we don't want to leave here either."

"So, what _are_ you going to do?" He was concerned now, probably about losing another doctor to the city and losing his best "intern." I patted his shoulder.

"We're leaving in a few weeks, so you can all have your good byes," I laughed. "Esme's little brother and his wife are in Italy all alone because of his new job. You've heard us talk about Edward and Bella? Well, that's them. Their other siblings are close by, too." Dr. Studwell smiled wryly and sighed.

"Italy's about to get the best doctor this country could offer." Less than a month later the house was sold, the furniture gone, the clothes pack, and we were moving to Volterra.

"Have you called them yet?" asked Esme from the airport. We didn't call Edward, Bella, Alice, or Jasper because we figured Alice would have told them.

"No, but I'm sure Alice knows we want to surprise as many of them as we can," I said to my wife as we boarded the plane. "When are Rosalie and Emmett leaving again?"

"Tomorrow night. They want us to make sure the Volturi know we're coming before they move in with us. I'm afraid Caius won't let us all live there." She started to bite her lip, worrying.

"Caius is fair man; he'd love to have us all there. We shouldn't have any trouble.

Edward's p.o.v.

We all knew it would come sooner or later, but I think we were all praying for the later: War. Alice had just seen perhaps the worst war our kind had ever seen, and it would take place in Beijing- the most populous place in the world for both humans and vampires. A male and female were raising an army of at least seventy-five, and the new borns weren't killing each other fast enough. Alice showed me the bloody scene of humans and vampires sprawled across the city streets. I shivered at the Volturi's thoughts once they heard the news. Everyone was designing plans to end the battle before it happened, and Aro set up different divisions with each of us as a leader. Jane would take the trackers and fly to north Beijing, Aro took a few guards to the south, Marcus took even more guards to the east, and Jasper and I were to take the four spies the Volturi had acquired over the years and take west Beijing. Alice, Bella, Caius, Demitri, and Felix were ordered to stay behind to watch for more news and welcome the new vampire in Italy.

"Edward and Jasper need to train you to fight new-borns so you can teach your group. From Alice's account this may be the most dangerous immortal war the Earth has ever seen- for humans and ourselves. The creators and their army must die. Leave no survivors," ordered Caius from his royal throne. He sat back in it lazily, but his eyes and mind were alert and far into the future. "Don't take pity on anyone. If science proves true life will only exist for a another month." He turned his head away from us, a sign of dismissal. Bella clung tightly to my arm.

"I don't want you to go." She came so close to tears I almost wondered if she _was_ crying. I lifted her head up to mine and looked into her mournful eyes.

"I can't _not_ go, Bella."

"Why can't I go with you? I can fight, Edward; you know that." Her voice was fierce and full of anger. True, my once clumsy Isabella was now a merciless warrior if she had to be, but how could I fight when she could die, too?

"You can, but war isn't for women."

"Jane." Her topaz eyes melted into a bottomless black.

"You can hardly call such a pain as her a true woman," I laughed. She didn't let go of her forceful grip. "Bella, the Volturi are expert fighters, and Jasper and I have had our moments, too. We'll be back before you know it," I lied.

The weeks of teaching the troops passed quicker than we hoped, and Aro felt that we could wait no longer. Alice's visions had only gotten worse, now including innocent humans being taken after confessing fear of the end of the world. Caius had been saying for months that The End would cause more dangerous violence than nature's own plans.

"Vampires cannot be exposed because what if The End is just another hoax like before? Then what will we do? Go back to the Dark Ages of hiding under bridges? I'll choose Hell's pit first!" spat Jane the evening we left.

_You live in sunny Italy, and to hide your skin you stay inside forever! This is your giant bridge! _growled Alice. I hit her before she could say it aloud.

An hour after the sun set, thirty-five vampires left in the Volturi plane to fight the Chinese vampires.

Alice's p.o.v.

No sooner than they were out the door and miles into the air did I have another vision. A large commercial plane landed just outside of Volterra, and the passengers were unloading. The sleepy flyers were chugging their coffees and mochas to stay awake a few more hours and searching through the luggage pile for their suitcases when Carlisle and Esme appeared behind the crowd. They quickly found the heavy luggage and called for a cab. The taxi drove them inside the Volterra gates, and slammed to a stop. Then everything went dark.


	9. Law

**Thanks for the one review, but more than one person reads this so please please please review if you haven't! Tell more people about this. Also, why hasn't anyone laughed at all my MAJOR mistakes? You should know I make a ton & need them corrected. Also, Aro is the Volturi leader (I just re-reread NM last night & caught it), so I'll work on fixing that. **

I knew that face too well, I knew that look was much more than it seemed. The little pixie-like vampire was standing like she was in deep thought, but her eyes were watching a horror movie. Her body was a dark orange flame even after she blinked to.

"Alice?" I slowly walked to her. "Alice, what is it?" I prepared myself for the worst.

"Carlisle and Esme are coming," she started. Caius from behind was glimmering a bright, happy yellow.

"It'll be wonderful to see his optimistic smile again. When will they be here?"

"They were in the city, but the cab stopped." The orange deepened. "Then everything went black! I don't know why they stopped or what happens next." I sat her down on the ceramic tiles in the Grand Hall, and Caius, also worried about his friend, sat at her knees and almost begged for answers.

"Try!"

"I have, but I'm blind! I've never been like this…but that was a _long_ time ago. They can't…be here." she continued to mutter and was almost panicking.

"When are they coming?" asked Caius before he summoned one of the few human servants. The boy, not even in his teens, ran to us, waiting for his next job.

"I don't know. Maybe now. I couldn't tell." Her voice was cracking under the pressure. It was just then that I realized how much Jasper and Alice needed each other. He would have held her close and calmed her without having to use his powers, or she would completely change her mood and thoughts to keep him in a happy atmosphere. They relied on each other for the strength to survive.

"Michael, go with Alice and Isabella to find our visitors. If Carlisle and Esme enter the city safely we will spare your life." Michael offered to help Alice up, but we were both halfway out the door.

The three of us split up to look for the right car which seemed like an easy task. How many taxis came through Volterra this time of year? Not many. Hours passed before a cab drove by, but my only living parents weren't inside. A few times I would pass Alice or Michael, so we would sit together and wait for anything to happen. By nine that night even Michael who had his life on the line was ready to call it a night.

"Hey!" yelled the jumping boy as we walked back to the castle. The bright yellow and sky blue shine told me he'd found them. Alice and I spun around and saw Alice's vision play out right in front of us!

The man and woman who had told Edward and I about the meaning of the Volturi robes were now standing in the middle of the road and in the cab's path. The car slammed to a stop just inches away from the civilians. The three people in the car were scared out of their minds, two probably afraid of the blood that was sure to spill. The driver ran out of his cab and began yelling in rapid Italian. The three Italians spat back insult after insult, but I couldn't understand exactly what they were saying.

"Alice! Bella!" called Esme as she ran towards us. Carlisle was smiling and hugged us next. He then turned to the boy and told him to take us back to the castle- all in perfect Italian. I guessed he picked it up when he lived here before.

"Let's go inside and see Caius again, hmm?"

"Caius is still alive?" asked the female Angie. We turned around and saw her and the man walk to us. The driver left Carlisle's and Esme's baggage on the curb and took off again. The two leaned forward and winced, but their colors flashed shocking blue, orange, and red.

"Vamprios!" they both whispered. I growled in frustration; the rule was if humans knew about vampires or could identify them they had to go, but neither Alice nor I had ever killed a human just for the hell of it. It was the boy who tried to make the first move towards them, but the humans took the growl as a war cry.

They shoved all four of us vampires back into a narrow alley with lightening reflexes and phased into two giant wolves! We retaliated back, baring teeth and brute force. We easily out matched the wolves and had them backed against a wall in our complete control. Two Volturi guards ran into the alley can tackled the wolves and, with our help, dragged the dogs back to the castle.

Caius was inside waiting for them with a set of robes. The two wolves phased back and draped the robes around them, never turning from the two guards. I studied Caius's colors to figure out what he was thinking, but the old man keep calm and relaxed.

"Wolves in Volterra," he muttered under his breath in disgust. He paced back and forth, thinking deeper and deeper. "There are no laws about werewolves since so few of us ever have to deal with them, but Carlisle, you have made a pact with a group of them. What should we do about these?" We all looked at Carlisle. He was just as calm as Caius when he spoke.

"Well, no one's hurt," he started.

"Just like you to be so compassionate. These wolves almost exposed us, though. Punishment is necessary, but what shall it be? I don't suppose they can cover the wretched smell of their blood?"

"Let us go!" yelled Angie. An intricate gold chain fell from her neck, releasing an old, rotting, musty smell. She gagged and crouched low.

"Help her up. We don't need any phasing here. Explain this little trick," ordered Caius as he picked up the gold chain. I noticed that the male also had a chain around his neck, but I kept quiet.

"Werewolves are a small group," she began.

"And growing," Alice growled. I hit her arm to shut her up. Even though my La Push friends were long gone I never felt the need to insult wolves.

"Not as much as you think," the man continued. "but our generation's fathers have begun to form a larger pack of all the wolves in the world. Our kind have in every field you can imagine- history, medicine, food, law, even politics- Romania for example. Some of our kind's brightest have developed those chains to hide our smell from blood-suckers, _Cold Ones_ as the most experienced pack called them."

"Cold Ones?" Esme whispered. All of us Cullens were shocking shy blue and staring at each other or the werewolf Angie.

"Where are these wolves from?" asked Carlisle in his usual business-like tone.

"America. Up north somewhere," reluctantly said Angie.

"The wolves you knew are not important now, Carlisle. And these chains, do they keep our smell from you as well?" By now Caius was sitting in his chair, lost in thought.

"Yes. It is why we didn't recognize you and the red one the day we met." He looked at me; a dark blue light shown all around.

"Why are you banning together?" I asked as I dared to move closer to the decay smelling dog. Dog? Oh, crap! I _did_ hate werewolves after all!

"We can live with man, but not with blood thirsty monsters. Humans die, and wolves blamed. Survival," spat Angie. The guards stationed outside the doors were tired of waiting and were slowly creeping in.

"Keep these _lupi_ in the strongest dungeon we have until their fate is certain."

Edward's p.o.v

After endless hours with the Volturi army the plane landed in Beijing, China. We all clambered out and surveyed the land of the future battle field, listening for

the sound of the enemy. Jasper was using his military experience to plan our first orders while Jane, Marcus, and the others took their troops to their grounds. The other Volturi leaders met with my brother and me to discuss the general plan

"At the moment we don't know when the army will attack, so kill any vampire you see," began Marcus.

"What? There are innocent vampires here, too! Only two have gone too far, Marcus, so why should everyone pay?" objected Jasper.

"And you have a better suggestion, Major?" taunted Felix in the back of the group. I held Jasper back from attacking. Only Alice could call him by his old name and rank and live another day.

"As a matter of fact, I do." His voice was hard and cold now as he elaborately explained his plans for each of us. We would only attack early if we saw a suspected new-born. The two creators shouldn't be handled until all of them could attack together. The main plan of attack was simple: attack as one and attack fast, but even Jasper knew the plan would take longer than planned.

We all spread out to our positions, and the four spies were sent into the city to gather as much information as possible. I would be the radio that would relay everything to Jasper.

Night fell, and dawn rose again before any of the spies had anything to report.

_There's a man in the shadows talking to a man. He's beckoning him to the dark._

_There's a woman on the other side of building who's talking to an older man. She wants him to help her. She says she's lost, and the man's volunteered to help her._

_This girl can't be any older than fourteen, but she looks thirsty. She's flirting with an older boy, looks like he's seventeen, and he's falling for it._

_Here's a foreigner, but he's telling a tourist something. She's going with him. They're gone!_ All four spies were ready to attack, but Jasper wanted them to wait and catch them in the act of murder. If they seemed reckless they had to die, but if everything was better planned out-which didn't look like the case if vampire were hunting in the day-the spies were to leave things alone.

_I was too late,_ thought the one following the foreigner. _The girl is dead, and the new born is gone. The body is left alone. I couldn't get through quick enough because of all the people and hiding in the shadows._

"One is dead," I said to Jasper. He thought about sending an attack order, but decided to check on the other troops first.

_There's someone else coming. A little vampire-her eyes are as black as mine- is coming down the alley. She's talking to the other one. I think she's warning him about us… it's hard to understand. I'm attacking!_ I could hear the chase in my head, and I couldn't tune it out.

"A spy is attacking!" I called, but Jasper showed little interest. He was on the phone with Aro, relaying all the information. He sighed and repeat Aro's determined words: "Segurie la leggeFollow the law."


	10. Fire and Light

**I'm sorry it took so long to update, but I haven't been able to get online. It's here now, so be happy and review! Also, it'll be at least a week before I can update again because I'm going to Indianapoilis this week! Also! REIVEWS ARE GREAT!**

The spy was out of control, and we had no way to stop him. Jasper and I ran as fast as we could into the world's largest city towards the immortal battle. The snarls and shrieks of the newborn and spy echoed in my head no matter how hard I tried to ignore it.

Running in a city of 10 billion is an impossible task by itself, but when you're limited to the shadows you come close to saying "screw the rules!" Luckily, with Jasper's help we managed to get to the fight without truly exposing our secret, but they the time we got there only blood, vampire parts, gasoline, and fire remained. Of course I knew what to expect, but Jasper, who had never had a plan fall through, was in shock.

Wailing sirens grew louder and louder, signaling us to leave, but Jasper couldn't, not until he had a new plan or a lead- neither I could supply.

"What happened?" His eyes never left the burning gas puddle. His thoughts were back in his Civil War days.

_Then who set them on fire?_ It was an important question, but the sirens were now on our street.

"We need to find the other three spies," I said as I pulled my brother away from the spreading flames. Staying away from the noon rays, we made our way the closet spy: seven miles away.

This path seemed more promising as we came closer, but we weren't the first to see its usefulness. Crouched between two major company headquarters, inching closer and closer to the advancing light, was the spy, Aro, and two of his guards.

"He spotted me and ran off," repeated the spy, pointing to the newborn's direction. I nodded and looked to Aro for our next move.

"I have heard similar reports from everyone else," he sighed. "Perhaps brining Demitri would have been wise, but then again he's no good for plans and waiting." Jasper and I smiled a little, remembering Emmett's favorite fighting style.

"I want you to find the newborn you were tracking and find at least one of its creators. Do not attack once you find them until we give the orders," commanded Jasper.

"We'll rally the rest of our group to fight. Aro, would you mind lending these two to help Nícko?" Aro gestured to his guards to follow my orders, and the three vampires scurried out of sight, but never out of mind.

Over the next few hours Jasper, Aro, and I tracked down the other two spies separated across Beijing. One was sent to Jane and the other to Marcus to repeat our plans. Meanwhile, we hid in a nearby coffee shop until dark.

"I wish I would have sent Alec or Caius in my place. I'm not scared of death or feel I'm too old, but I miss Carlisle. Esme seems nice, and according to you all, she has made my friend very happy over the years. That's all I wanted for him, you know," sighed Aro, leaning against the stone wall. Jasper and I looked at him in confusion.

"I don't think I've been outside my castle in centuries," he laughed.

"What does this have to do with Carlisle?" demanded Jasper. Aro looked over at us, surprised.

"Alice never saw them coming?"

"Not that I know of. Jasper?"

"You know I can't keep things from you, Edward."

"Then how do _you_ know, Aro?"

"One of the newest guards, a replaceable, is a poor fortuneteller, but some information is better than none, I suppose. He mentioned that some vampires were coming, and Alec called after we left Italy and told me it was Carlisle. You must have had other things on your mind." Questions burned in our heads, but night had arrived and so had war.

The three remaining spies and Aro's two guards had completed their missions and crossed paths with the vampire couple. All five of them showed me the crumbling warehouse that was stocked with hundreds of moth-eaten cardboard boxes. Silk, cotton, and a variety of artificial fabrics were strewn around the place, covering broken walls, box towers, and dirty windows. A dark haired, pale man and his little, pale mate were standing before the largest group of vampires I had ever seen. The group, growling, biting, and slashing each other, outnumbered us three to one- depressing news for our leaders. Then Jane started laughing!"Che é sbagliato con tu?" griped Marcus as eh darted towards her; she moved milliseconds before their skins bashed together.

"Jane, this isn't a laughing matter! We are outnumbered and must attack tonight?" cried Aro, but no matter what anyone said she still remained optimistic. It was a good plan-for her!

"How will that help the other thirty of us?" I yelled. Her eyes narrowed, and she came too close to using her power on me.

"Edward, we can all kill with the flick of the wrist, and killing mature vampires aren't much different-"

"To the experienced!" Jasper added sourly.

"Are you saying you've never won a real vampire match?" skeptically asked Marcus. Jasper leaned back with a heavy sigh.

"As we all know newborns are a completely different story." A wicked grin spread across Jane's face. "Newborns only expect what they can do, and pain isn't your average power."

"Your power doesn't affect too many at once," said Aro.

"Jasper, how long would it take to kill a newborn if he's under my control?"

"A few seconds, but that's not counting burning the body."

"The place sounds like a giant kindling box. This should do the trick," laughed Nícko, holding up a lighter, as he came running back to us. "Attack now or never at all. Shai-hong and Shi-su are hunting for more newborns. By the time we all get there they'll be back with at least two more humans." Without another thought we raced to the army for war.

In less that half an hour thirty-four vampires had traveled six miles and blocked every entrance to the warehouse. Inside, the newborns were restless and laughing about the day's spoils. They gathered in clusters of four or five, each as far from the next pod as possible. Outside, the Volturi leaders and Jasper made attack plans. The least-experienced warrior, Aro, wanted chaos and swiftness; however, the other two "royals" looked forward to crushing two or more newborns at once with their expert attacks. I was just praying to survive, and with each passing second my bravery wavered.

_Edward Cullen! There's a brawl inside. Attack!_ cried Aro. I gave the signal, and Jasper and I ran to the other sides of the warehouse to announce the attack. We raced inside as an angry mob and easily overcame our first few opponents, but as time wore on everyone's moral weakened A quarter of the Volturi troops had perished, yet the Chinese were still strong.

_It's time to cheat_, thought Jane as she tortured two more Chinese.

"Jasper!" she called above the roar. "We need an advantage, a peaceful one!" At first he was horrified by the cowardly idea, but after one look into the fiery war he calmed the entire room to a halt.

Even though we could all stand near each other without killing we all wanted to continue the battle. Jasper stood perfectly still, holding on to each person's feelings with a firm hand, but like all things in life we had a choice: and that was the key to our success.

"Mind over matter," I whispered into the silence as I fought against the mind control. Jasper may not have our strength against blood, but I doubted anyone in my family could have held us all like this. I could barely get away from his forced peace, but then like dynamite I struck the three closet newborns down to the ground. With Jasper's professional help they were dead before anyone could attack.

One by one the Volturi wrestled out of Jasper's control and struck down every peaceful newborn.

"Burn the building to the ground," ordered Aro as he watched for the two creators Nícko promised us. They found us first, and threw flaming knives at us. Of course that did nothing except piss us off or distract us- exactly what they wanted.

The male and female had two knives in each hand that they used to fight with if their strength or teeth couldn't do the job. I think the goal was to destroy us and burn the pieces at once, but whoever taught then how to fight had left out key points. Nevertheless they were winning, and Aro forced the ten surviving guards and spies to retreat. In an old, dirty trick Jane surrendered until the female was inches from her. With a piecing shriek she fell, cringing in pain. Marcus took the opportunity to kill her with her own flames. The male, now accepting his fate, took the fire and committed suicide.

"We never found out their purposed, did we?" asked Nícko.

"Wars are fought ever blood. Whoever these two were fighting against just won ten billion victims," explained Jasper. He reached down beside the vampire ashes and picked up a seared piece of paper with a crescent moon. Above, the sun light exploded into white light, brighter than any of us had ever seen.

MEANWHILE:

Bella's p.o.v.

I was strolling though the castle halls waiting for Emmett and Rosalie to come back from Rome. I was excited when Caius allowed the rest of the Cullens to live here in the castle with us, but more than anything I wanted Edward home safely in my arms.

I passed a few empty corridors and found a long room behind an acient, dusty door. Curious to see the inside of a church again. I walked in to see an ivory cross raised high above a long narrow table. A Latin Bible, song books, empty goblets, rosaries, and other religious trinkets sat on the table. A red velvet chair sat beside the table and behind a kneeling bench.

"Ha! A church in a damned castle! Only one thing can make this more ironic," I laughed before I sat infront of the chair to pray.

_Aren't you the one who always said Dad had a soul, too?_ asked a girl with a joking tone. I jumped up and spun around to look at my visitor, but I was alone. _Dad always said he could never stay mad at his little girl. I think all fathers are like that, _she said. Dad? Startled, I bumped into the table. A song book fell open to "Joy to the World." _Time's running out, Mom. Listen to me._ I fell to the ground.

"Madison," I gasped.


	11. Encounters

**Thank you soooo much for the TWO reviews I got in almost TWO WEEKS! A bit pathetic, don't you think? I'll take what I'm given though. Sorry for leaving you in unimaginable suspense for so long. I was in Indianapolis for three days with the band, & now I'm really sick. At least I can write today. Hey, dig DEEP into that last chapter. I've introduced like three different intertwining stuff that should make all interested. Ok, here's ch. 11. ASK QUESTIONS, MAKE PERDICTIONS! SAY YOU SUCK! I DON'T CARE!**

I was down on all fours, gasping for air I didn't need, trying to find the inner strength to get up. Madison, Edward's and my daughter that was killed by Albert over a hundred years ago, was talking to me! Why now? How? Was Edward with her? For some reason I couldn't speak.

_I can't get anymore subtle than this,_ she said. It sounded like she was standing right next to me, but I was the only living person in the room. I tried to speak again and realized I never breathed in again after falling.

"Madison?" I looked around to see her pretty pale face. Big mistake! I doubled over again as I remembered the fair skinned, bronze haired girl that hung in Carlisle's arms after her death. Talking _about _Madison was one thing, but remembering her face still hurt… almost like when Edward left me that one time.

_Yeah, it's me. You know, of all the messed up things about my life, this one takes the cake._ I smiled in agreement. That was exactly what I was thinking. First vampires then werewolves and now ghosts!

"Where are you? Why can't I see you? How is this possible?" I sat back on my knees, still looking for a sign of her.

_I'm in Heaven. Tell Dad; he'll be happy about that._

"So you're not a…"

_Yeah, I am. Too bad I couldn't have tried it out on Earth. I wish you guys could see this though! It's beyond description. Very sunny. It puts those weekend trips the three of us would take to shame!_ she laughed. I felt like I was missing out on the joke. _I don't know how this is possible, but when you're here you don't question how things work. Everything reveals itself in due time…_

"Is Edward with you?" I whispered.

_Why would Dad be here? Not that he doesn't have a chance here. Trust me, I'd see him coming if he was here. Grandpa Charlie and Grandma Renee are here though. She's so amazing, Mom! I wish you would've let me see her in Florida._

"You know why we couldn't let you," I reminded her again, just like in the old days.

_Lets not start that again. Anyway, they forgive you and Dad for all the lies. Phil's actually _relived_ he didn't know. Speaking of grandparents, I met Edward and Elizabeth Masen! If I had time I'd tell you great stuff about Dad. The 1900s were weird._

"No example?" I teased. By then I was sitting causally in the red velvet chair, convincing myself I was relaxed.

_Not now, but you owe me an explanation for the cliff diving and the motorcycles._

"Wait! How do you know about that?"

_I found out a few things from when I was at La Push during Spring Break, and Jake's been talking to me a lot. Right! There's a reason I'm talking to you. Have Aro release the wolves. I'd explain, but you already think you're hallucinating. _There was no denying that.

"Madison, what's going on? Is the end of the world true?"

_There's not enough time to explain. Some people here are trying to contact their families before the Dark. You've got till then to release the wolves because after that immortals have to move fast for survival. Humans stand no chance at life anymore, and those few who do make it to the Blast…Listen, the days are numbered. The sun's going out, and people can't live without heat._

"No heat, no life. No life, no blood," I gasped.

_There's always hope. Please, all of you, stay the same. Time's running out._

"Madison? Don't go yet! Grrr…. Just like her father, giving cryptic little remarks I can never figure out!" I huffed. Down the hall two Volturi guards were coming.

I jumped up from the chair and walked quickly out the door. The guards nodded in "royal" respect as they walked past me. After they were down the hall I raced to see Caius.

"Whoa! Where are you going?" asked Alice as she stopped me in her arms.

"I've got to talk to Caius," I grunted, struggling in her arms.

"Why? When are you ever buddy-buddy with _him_?" She flashed a bright confused orange.

"No! It's about the werewolves. We need to let them go." Even Alice thought I was crazy. How was I going to explain my reason? "My dead daughter told me to," isn't convincing unless I wanted to go to a nice little padded room.

"Bella, lets assume I agree with your outrageous idea for a second. The Volturi won't let werewolves walk away from them."

"They didn't do anything!"

"Ha! They attacked us for no reason! They're clouding my vision! They're part of the reason Rosalie and Emmett didn't come here first like they planned! Do I need to go on?" The little pixie was flaming red and giving me the vampire glare.

"Carlisle will help me. Where is he?" She sighed and led the way upstairs to his study.

Carlisle's study was smaller than my room, maybe half as big, but he had no trouble finding room for all his medical books. Small bookcases and filing cabinets lined the clean white walls. His large L-shaped desk sat in the center of the room so he could move all around the room with ease. When Alice and I walked in Carlisle was reading something on the computer screen.

"There you are, Bella!" He got us and hugged me. "You've been off on your own too much. Worried about Edward? Yes, Esme and I are, too, but he can take care of himself. Jasper too. So, what can I do for you?" He patted the black leather chairs around his desk as he walked back to his seat.

"Bella wants Caius to free the werewolves," accused Alice. Carlisle's usual content blue lightened in surprise.

"Bella, wolves are unstable. You realize Caius won't let them out unless they have something for him in return, right?"

"Think of it this way: with the wolves here the Volturi have lost their best psychic." I leaned forward, waiting for the rebuttal.

"That's an excellent point, but not good enough," replied a cool voice outside. We all looked back at the old vampire. He walked into the study and stared at me curiously and with a challenge.

"They know Quileutes. I used to live near them and considered them family."

"Funny how time can change even the most permanent feelings. Your wolves have once chance to convince me. If they fail we fallow the law," he warned as he turned out of the room. Carlisle, Alice, and I followed him down to the vault where Edward, Alice, and I stayed when Edward almost… Well, that was a _long_ time ago, and Edward was still alive. Madison had hinted that.

The rotting wood smell hit us at once as we drew closer to the vault, and judging by the canine growls echoing down the hall the two werewolves couldn't stand our smell either.

"Come to let us out, huh? About time!" growled the male. The female, Angie, sank into a far corner.

"Bella Cullen has requested your freedom, but it is _you_ who will decide if you deserve. Why should we let you go? You almost exposed us as vampires," said Caius in his cold stone voice.

"The Protectors Consul insists that we weed out as many vampiros as possible for man's survival," began the male.

"Humans don't stand a chance near the end," I added. I jerked up after realizing what I'd just said.

"É quello di minaccia?" cried Angie. Caius and the female spoke in rapid Italian until the female rolled her eyes and retreated back to her corner.

"What did she say?" I whispered to Carlisle.

"Is that a threat?"

"No! No threat, just reality. Don't make me explain now, but when the sun dies humans will start dying out, too."

"So every human becomes more precious to you blood suckers! Even more the reason to dispose of you," snapped the man. This was _not _going well.

"What is this Protectors Consul?" asked Alice.

"Werewolves from all over the world gathered thirty years ago to form the Consul and promised to protect mankind from vampires."

"A noble cause, but vampires outnumber werewolves by much more than you could imagine," said Caius. The male werewolf looked up at us, smirking.

"Vampires are killing vampires over future meals. You sent several of your own to fight in China, the starting point of war. If the army wins they're to spread wars over the world. We have information that you want. Free us, and we'll tell you."

"You help stop this too!" pointed added Angie. We all looked at Caius who was in deep thought. None of us imagined multiple wars, but the wolf made it sound like someone was behind it and other future attacks.

"You are free, but you'll help us destroy the one responsible the one responsible for the war." Caius took out the bar keys and let the two out. They both held out their hands to show they wanted their necklaces back. Caius gave them back and turned towards to main castle.

Upstairs the few maids were standing dead in their tracks and staring out the few windows. We all raced to the nearest open window just in time to see a bright white, yellow, and orange explosion in the sky. Fire fell from the sky but never landed on the Earth below. Then, like those adjustable lights, the sky slowly darkened until the only light left was from the stars.


	12. Two Plot Are One

**You guys are amazing! The reviews for the last chapter were great! Like a couple of you have said this is a very complex story that should resolve soon. So if you're confused ask me questions & it'll be clearer soon, I promise. Oh ya, Stephenie made most characters, you know the drill.**

Edward's p.o.v.

Hours had passed since the sky explosion, and now we were all on the jet heading back to Italy. The bright lights of Rome were glistening below us even though it was only four pm. Each of the fifteen survivors were all thinking the same thing: how long was left? Uncertainty was everywhere, and I begged to be with my family again. Sadly, I'd have to wait a couple more hours before we were back inside the Volterra city gates. Beside me Jasper pulled out his phone.

"Alice, it's so good to hear from you again. Will you meet us at the airport? Bring Bella, too."

"_Esme wants you to bring Emmett and Rosalie when you land. You _are_ landing in Rome, right?"_ I usually didn't listen to others' conversations mentally, but as I said before, I missed my family and wanted to hear their voices again.

"You are sure?" Jasper teased. Since when did Alice ask questions like that?

"_No. Things have got…hairier around here. We'll explain when you get home. Also, Edward, you're listening I hope."_ Jasper looked over to me, slightly annoyed, slightly what-ever. I smiled and nodded.

"Yeah, he's listening. What do you mean 'hairier'?"

_"You'll see. Edward, you need to talk to Bella later. She's acting really weird- even for her!"_

"What do you mean 'for her'?" I growled loud enough for Alice to hear. The other vampires stopped what they were doing to look at us. "Sorry," I mumbled before snatching the phone from Jasper.

"Well, you know Bella gets…depressed, hasty, panicky when things go bad, but this time she kinda freaked. She knows things before _I_ do!" whispered Alice from the other line. I guessed that she wasn't alone.

"We're landing now. See you in a few hours," I said before handing the phone back to Jasper.

The plane smoothly landed, and we all climbed out. Three black and gold Lexuses were waiting a few yards away, each with a noble looking vampire driver waiting in front of the back door. Jasper and I told Aro that we needed to wait for our brother and sister. He seemed a little irritated that more uninvited Cullens were moving in, but we told our driver to wait on us.

"Rose? Where are you? Alice told us to pick you up when we landed in Rome, and speaking of that why are you here?" I asked as we waited against the airport wall.

"We're moving back in with everyone. We _had_ planned on going straight to Volterra, but after Carlisle and Esme were attacked by wolves Emmett and I decided to wait till that was straitened out first. They're still there, aren't they?" she growled.

"Attacked?" Jasper snapped his head over to me in alarm. Rosalie groaned on the other end.

"I'll fill you in in the car. Give us directions to you and give us a few minuets."

After giving her the directions we hung up. Ten minutes later large, happy-go-lucky Emmett and high maintenance Rosalie ran to us.

"Get in," ordered Emmett. "A lot's happened since you left."

Bella's p.o.v.

Edward was home! I jumped into his arms and kissed him longer than I had since who knows how long. Beside us Jasper and Alice held each other's hands and stared into each other's eyes. Each were glowing that true love white and smiling affectionately. Carlisle and Esme were welcoming their other children and laughing about the last time we were all together. Was it really just last summer at their wedding? Five months ago? That's not long to vampires, but it seemed like it was forever and a day ago.

"Carlisle! Esme!" cried Edward after we broke free. Esme hugged her youngest son and then reached for her oldest. At least I think that's how the age order goes. The rotting wood smell spread around the room, abruptly ending our reunion.

"Bien. Piú vampiros," sighed Angie from the back of the room.

"Werewolves all over the world have come together to fight against the one behind the first immortal war. We'll let Leonardo explain," announced Aro. The male wolf stepped to the heart of the room and began.

"Things have happened all over il mondo, and they are no coincidence. Our kind has noticed larger groups of vampiros over the past two years, but since they haven't attacked any more than usual we didn't declare all out war. Over these two years human attacks have been less monstrous and more planned out. Clean wounds, little evidence of a fight. Someone has showed these vampires how to fight quicker…a disturbing thought to the lupi.

"Every leader of the clans have had a piece of paper with them. This." He held up a fading blue scrap of paper with a fading crescent moon. "Many times we would find a knife inside the clan. This is why we are confused. You don't need knives, do you?" We all shook our heads, and a few vampire guards who were listening outside the door laughed and showed off their venomous teeth.

"May I?" asked an orange Jasper. Edward also looked at the piece of paper in bewilderment.

"What?" asked Alice as she tried to look over her mate's shoulder.

"Shai-hong had one of these, too," noted Jasper. He dug in his pocket and pulled out the piece of paper he took from Shai-hong. They were identical!

"They also had knives," Marcus added.

"Someone is teaching vampires how to fight with blades, but who? Do you have any ideas?" asked Aro. The two wolves looked down to the ground.

"William Black. Dire ne parla di William Black," whispered Angie.

"What about the Quilutes?" asked Edward.

"The Indians have stories about _you_. You," Leonardo said to me. "are the Legend, no?" I nodded, remembering the almost ridiculous story Jake and his tribe told about me. "Is it true? You had a girl?" Edward and I both glared at the dog- Crap! I said it again! I never called the La Push pack "dogs."

"What is it to you?" asked Edward, steaming red.

"Chief Black says a French blades man killed you 'Halfling.' What is a 'Halfling'?" Under different circumstances I probably would have answered him, but I was too furious at the connection.

"Albert," groaned Edward. I leaned against him and hit my head hard against his chest. A loud rumbled of thunder echoed in the open room.

"Makes since. He prefers fighting with knives than teeth, and the moon might refer to the expert astrologist thing," I growled to my family. I glanced over at Esme, Alice, and Emmett- the ones who wanted Edward to kill Albert- and noticed all of them were gold and forest green, memories filling their minds.

"Where is he? Let's _go!_ Edward and Bella gave him a second chance, but he's using it create wars everywhere!" shouted the overexcited Emmett.

"Why would a single vampire start wars between everyone all over the world? What does he get?" asked Carlisle, shaking his head.

"Attention," grumbled Edward. "Last time we saw him was at college, a few days before we came here. He missed the old days of destruction with Sierra, his partner. Together they were responsible for most of the world's most unexplained disasters."

"What did he want?" asked the wolf. Angie was fully alert and trying to understand the argument. Briefly Leonardo translated.

"I don't know. He knows things about the End, though. He was helping a human translate the Mayan ruins. Sounds like a connection to me."

"Describe him, and we'll send it to the Consul." The two wolves then ran out of the room, probably to call the Consul. So that was it: Albert was getting the fate he finally deserved- no second chances. He had the world against him, but could we extract his information first? He had hinted that bad things were coming.

"So, Bella, what's this about you predicting the future?" playfully asked Edward as he lead me to our room.


	13. Helping Hands

**I want reviews! I don't like to beg so shut me up & review without being asked to! No one's gonna scream "finally!" or "what?" I guess I'll have to try harder now. I also like ideas. I'm at a point where I could put ANYTHING in here. You have NO idea what's about to happen- I promise!**

Edward shut the door behind us and carried me to our bed. He sat down on his side closer to the window, and I rested my head against him. For a while we laid there staring out the window, hands intertwined across me. It felt so good to see him again, especially since he glowing that romantic red.

"You never answered me," he finally said. I looked up at him, but he was still peacefully looking out the window.

"What was the question again?" He looked down at me pulled me in front of him. How was a suppose to think when he looked at me like that?

"I hear you know the future. Now, why am I the last to know about this?" He seemed playfully serious- only Edward could contradict his emotions like that- but I wasn't sure what he meant.

"Alice can't See anything, but you're positive all humans will die soon." One eyebrow arched up, and he turned lime green in curiosity. "Tell me what you're thinking," he begged.

"Promise not to say _anything_ until I finish." He held both of my hands in his and nodded. "I saw Madison in the church downstairs. I didn't actually _see_ her, but I heard her voice. We talked for a few minutes, and she told me some things. She told me that the sun would burn out, and people will start dying from the cold. This was before we left the wolves out. That was her idea." Edward was a mix of colors that would change as fast as I could translate them. Anger, confusion, hope, disbelief, joy.

"I…how?"

"No idea. She said something about you don't questions things there," I shrugged.

"Where?" I could tell he was terrified that our daughter was suffering the fate we would get…soon. I tried to hide the shiver down my back, but Edward noticed. He held me close and kissed my hair.

"She's in Heaven, Edward. There's a vampire in Heaven. She told me to keep hope. Oh yeah, Charlie and Renee forgive us for all the lies." Maybe I shouldn't have said that; it only proved my insanity more. Edward only laughed and muttered "Good."

"I'm going to pretend I never heard that, ok?" asked Alice as she burst into the room. Under her breath she muttered, "Talking to Maddy and her parents? And I'm the strange one of the group?" I threw one of the many pillows on the bed; she dodged it easily, of course, and stuck out her tongue at me.

"Hi, Alice," reluctantly sighed Edward before he got up from the bed.

"As soon as I find those mutts I'll give them this," she announced as she held up a perfect drawing of a tall, middle-aged man with long brown hair and hawk-like eyes: Albert.

"The sooner we find him the better I'll feel," said Edward.

"We don't have long. Don't you know what today is?" We looked at each other and shook our heads. "December first! Twelve days of darkness to find him."

"If everyone is looking for him it shouldn't be long before we hear something," I added hopefully.

"I'm not going to Hell with him, and I'm not going without him so he must die. If possible, I'd like to do the honors," growled Edward, steadily growing brighter and brighter red.

"I'm going to find the wolves in the city, so why don't you and Rosalie and Emmett explore. Something to shut girl up." And Alice left as fast as she came in.

A few days had passed since the wolves left to spread the word about Albert. During that time the world was trying to overcome the darkness. About fifty years ago the world converted to solar power to save money, but now politicians were blindly pointing fingers while freezing in the cold. Plants were dying from lack of food, and the animals that ate the plants were starving. The animals that ate the herbivores were dying too causing a domino effect. Food prices were rising as the food supply disappeared, and people, just as Caius had predicted, were panicking.

To kill time and distract ourselves from Albert news Edward and I mostly stayed outside in Volterra. The people today were relatively calm, but cranky- a new norm- as always.

"Piú mortes oggi," sighed one man as he sat outside the bakery, reading his paper by candlelight. The man at the counter started griping in thick Italian, and from what I could understand more people had died.

"Posso?" asked Edward from our table. He reached out his hand and pointed to the newspaper. The man grumbled under his breath and gave it to us. "Graci," Edward smiled as he opened it again.

"Since when do you speak Italian?" I challenged my husband.

"I don't fully speak it, but I know more than you," he laughed back. "I'm looking for something about the skies, but I'm not having much luck." Just then a young teenage girl walked over to us.

"Sucsi, you are Volturi, si?" she asked. I could tell she was trying her best not to tremble in fear or cold, but her dark orange light and beating hear showed her fear.

"We live in the castle if that's what you mean," Edward said in an even voice.

"I beg your pardon, sir. Mi madre and I are poor, muy povero since the big blast. The bread is so high…" I smiled and pulled out a twenty lira. It must have been hard to ask for money or food, but she had the courage…or she was desperate. Either way her eyes lit up when she saw the money, and she took it gratefully. Edward and I saw her run down the street to a familiar woman in grey rags and a ragged brown bag.

I elbowed Edward who was working hard on translating the Italian paper. He looked up, sky blue, and followed me out the bakery door.

"Ma'am!" I called. A few people on the street looked at us, but we ignored them as we made our way to the woman and child. After another call or two they stopped and stared at us.

"Are you cold?" asked Edward as he looked at the pathetic clothes both the women wore. The child nodded, and I noticed that the woman bopped the child in the leg with her bag. "Come with us. It's much warmer in there, and there's some food for you both." Both were astonished at Edward's offer, and they followed us without a second thought.

The two stopped dead in their tracks-by wording for a vampire castle-once they were inside. The boy servant Michael and one of the other male servants I didn't know- probably one of the Volturi's lunch- also stared in awe at the sight of new humans.

"The new imports?" Michael asked.

"What?!" I tried to keep my voice from screaming, but I didn't do so well.

"Marcus ordered for a couple of humans to be brought in," replied the boy. I looked over at our guests. The two were confused but terrified. No doubt they were beginning to really believe the Volturi-are-still-alive myth.

"Aro won't be happy about this," muttered Edward only loud enough for me to hear. The two servants scurried off, and the guests tried to look brave as they followed Edward and I into the kitchen.

Steam and fire was shooting out from every stove in the long, narrow kitchen when we walked in. The head chief, Rafael, was ordering the two lower chiefs around the kitchen. He stared at us briefly before he dug himself back into his work. The two other chiefs only rushed past us and towards their cooking meals. The three cooks yelled over the clanging pots, whistling steam, and whooshing flames, slightly scaring our guests.

Edward lead the way to the back of the kitchen to the small bar and pulled out a chair for both girls.

"Graci," they both muttered. I grabbed some spare food from the counters and gave it to them both. They took the food and quickly ate it.

"That was nice of you," said Rosalie from the back kitchen door. "Alice said you'd be in here. Aro, Caius, and Marcus want to see them after they're done." Rosalie smiled softly at the two humans beside Edward and I. Edward and I both sensed that that wasn't the reason she came to us.

"Rose?" asked Edward. She looked down at the ground, nerves getting the better of her.

"Leonardo and Angie called an hour ago…Some Quileute got pissed off at Albert and tracked him down. He found him in Chicago, but Albert got away and is headed here."


	14. Revenge

**Guys! Where are my reviews? Two chapters and 0 reviews? Why? Only 2 or 3 more chapters left so start reviewing NOW! I'm on Spring break so I could update every other day or sooner. THE END IS NEAR! Oh, Stephenie Meyer is the best; she made most of the characters; & I don't know her…sadly. If I did I'd be stealing Breaking Dawn from her.**

"Here?" I asked. Did he forget that Volturi guards came and took us to Italy? Was he unaware that the Volturi and all the werewolves in the world were after him? Did he care?

"I thought the world was in a power shortage. Power is the only turned on for so many hours a day. It's a fourteen hour ride from Chicago to Rome," said Edward.

"Ask him when he gets here," replied Rosalie.

The two humans sitting at the bar with us began wildly gossiping in hushed voices- thinking we couldn't hear them. I caught a few phrases like "the kings are alive!" and "it's true!" They were glowing orange and red as they ate their food even faster.

"Edward, saben!" called Rafael from behind a stove. Edward nodded, and the chief reluctantly went back to his work. The look on his face showed defeat.

"They speak English, don't they?" sighed Rose.

"Sorta," I mumbled. "but, they're not the problem right now. When will Albert be here?"

"We don't know when he left. Bella, do you know what happens to humans who know about us? They're killed!"

"There's some hope. The 'imports' will be here this afternoon so there's no need to kill them yet," said Edward. By this time the mother and daughter had had enough.

"Will we feed the kings?" asked the girl in tears.

"No," I said, full of determination- or at least that's how I meant it to sound. Just then Marcus entered the room.

"Follow me," he ordered the humans. The three of them walked down the hall towards the servants' quarters.

"Where are Leonardo and Angie?" I asked Rosalie after an awkward silence.

"They're on their way to Rome to meet up with Albert." She turned out the door and tensely walked down the hall. Edward and I followed.

"Now we wait?" I couldn't stand it anymore. All the fighting and all the hatred was about to end, but all we could do was wait for it to come to us.

"What else can we do, Bella? Alice and that guard haven't seen him," sighed Edward. His and Rose's colors reflected their sadness and frustration.

"Lets decide who's going, and lets get to the airport before him!" I screamed. Probably concerned by my screaming, Carlisle and Esme entered the scene.

"Calm down, sweetheart. We just talked to Aro about it. He wants Albert here for questioning," soothed Esme, patting my shoulder. She was slightly glowing a peaceful green.

"Patients," smiled Carlisle.

As the hours wore on even Edward began to lose patients. All of the Cullens and I spent the majority of the five hour wait in the grand library, talking, reading, or staring off in space. Just then my phone buzzed. A text message, but I didn't recognize the number.

LEECH & QUILUTE W/ ME. ALMOST 2 VOLTERRA.

Less than an hour later a Volturi guard announced the arrival of not three people, but _four_! In came the two wolves we set free, Albert- looking as annoyed as ever-, and…

"Caleb?" I chocked. The fourteen-year old son of Jacob Black hadn't changed since we saw him over a hundred years ago. He was still tall, large, a cocky looking as smiled and flipped back his long, black hair.

"An honor as always, Legend," he greeted. He looked around, slightly nervous, at the room full of vampires. Beside me, I noticed Edward showing off his crooked smile.

"Sit down, Albert," politely said Edward, gesturing to an open chair. It wasn't a request; it was an order. Leonardo and Angie forced him into the chair across from me and took their posts on either side of him. Caleb stayed where he was, leaning against the doorway.

"Andare procurarsi Aro. Ora!" demanded Carlisle. The guard ran to his master and returned in seconds.

Aro, Caius, Marcus, and Jane stopped in front of the murderer and glared at him. Marcus reach out and touched Albert's arm to retrieve all the information we needed. My family turned to Edward for the translation.

"Stop. We'll know if he's lying. Let _him_ tell it," said Edward. Marcus, clearly taken back by the order, obliged. We waited for Albert to explain himself, but he blades-man remained silent.

"Oh, come on!" roared Caleb. "I'll make you talk!" He jumped at the vampire and snarled. With a single movement he took the knives from Albert's belt and held his arms down with amazing force.

"It's better to die from a vampire than by a Protector. Talk," he growled in Albert's ear. Albert was slightly shaking and turned a fiery dark orange. Edward was trying his best not to laugh at someone's thoughts.

"Joanne came to me last spring and told me about her discovery," he began. "We met in the woods when we were both looking for one of Jupiter's moons. We were talking, and I told her I was an expert in astronomy. So when she saw things about the stars in the Mayan passage I was the first person she called.

"I read the English version of the message and knew exactly what the priests were talking about. This is not a new concept we're dealing with. This is something Man has thought about forever…Armageddon.

"Before that the sun will explode, leaving the Earth a cold, dying waste land. Humans wouldn't survive for very long, and vampires need blood. The information was too exact to be a joke, so I began to take action. I quickly persuaded my old friends to protect their ranges and secure their blood supply. To make sure they won I taught them part of my expert fighting style. The goal of the style is to burn what you detach instantly. The Chinese caught on much faster than anyone else, so they were the first to formally start war; however, they failed when you attacked.

"I knew they would all fail, but it would keep the world too busy to worry about the end of the world, and it would prove to humans that we are not a comical myth found in books and movies." It was despicable! I could tell each of the Volturi were doing his or her best not to kill him on the spot, and even Caleb was starting to shake.

"When I found out I was being tracked by these _dogs_-" The three wolves bared their teeth and growled viciously. Albert's orange light grew even brighter, but he tried to look brave on the outside. "I threatened a pilot to fly to the last place you'd expect- right under your noses! It would've worked if that _mutt_ hadn't followed me! I'm sure I told you, Isabella, that this was not the time to hold a grudge. So why did you send your friend on me?" Caleb smirked, just like his dad.

"Don't give my bragging rights away, blood sucker! I found you on my own! I'm not done with you yet."

"That's what you think," he laughed. Everything happened too fast then.

Albert pushed Caleb away with all his strength, sending the kid flying a few feet away before smashing to the ground. Leonardo and Angie phased into their wolf forms and leaped toward the escaping vampire, but Edward and Emmett refused to let anyone else take this moment away from them. Alice and Esme raced to the two sets of doors to close them before anyone could leave, but Albert was an expert in war. He quickly ran out the far doors and deeper into the castle. Caleb was now shaking harder than I'd even seen any of the Pack, and at last he phased into a giant black wolf with a red mane.

Carlisle, Esme, Alice, and Jasper kept the Volturi back, telling them that this was our war to finish. I suddenly realized what was going on and ran as fast as I could towards the man who killed my daughter. He wasn't hard to find; all I had to do was follow the growls and rotting odor. Albert had gotten a hold of another set of knives and was knocking the older wolves off with them while using vampire speed and strength on Edward and Emmett. Caleb took a bounding leap towards the crowd as the other wolves backed off. Behind me I heard the older wolves retreat to the far back, but that wasn't my target. Albert was all that mattered right then.

Albert growled and snapped at Caleb every time the boy made an attack, and Edward and I took the chance to fight back. Logic told me that this was a battle of wits, but my heart was crying to tear the man apart every chance I got. Again and again Albert screamed out in pain, and occasionally Edward or I would too, but no where near the way Albert was. Finally, desperate for survival, the coward ignored Edward and I and aimed both knives at Caleb. A piercing howl erupted from the pup as Albert threw him across the room. Distracted by the scene, I was struck down to the ground. That was when Edward let all Hell break lose.

On the ground I saw Angie and Leonardo drag Caleb into a broom closet and get a blanket. I ran into the room before the wolves could close the door. Whimpering on the floor laid my best friend's son, bleeding more and more as Leonardo slowly pulled the knives out with his teeth. I took over.

After Angie covered him with the blanket Caleb attempted the painful phase. Before he was a threat, a human who knew my family's secret. Even after Madison's funeral I'd never thought about Caleb as anything else but that new kid. Now, he was a Black, a Quileute chief, a spitting image of Jacob- except with longer hair. I hugged the boy. He shivered at the coldness of my skin compared to his burning temperature.

"Don't help me," he whispered. "It's got nothing to do with you, but I'm ready for this. I took Embry's place as the next teacher, but the next generation never came. There are some people I can't wait to see. Madison is the first person on my list." This took me by surprise. I looked into his eyes, waiting for the punch line, but he was red in love!

_"_Madison was part vampire, Caleb. You know that." He smiled and closed his eyes. I shook him to keep him with us.

"Yeah, but not completely." Just like Jake. Persistence. Never give up till it's too late. "I didn't realize I loved her until a few weeks after she died. I need to apologize for being such an ass to her the day _they_ took her." He coughed a little and moaned weakly. "When I found Albert's trail I followed him hoping I could kill him. Do you think she ever had a chance at Heaven?"

"I know she did. The ones you love never really leave you. They're always here and here," I said, touching his head and heart. He smiled and muttered something that sounded like "I'll tell Dad you say hi, ok?" Then his heart stopped. At his head, Leonardo and Angie, both clothed humans by now, were bowing their heads in grief and loss. The tight room was nothing but a mixed navy blue and forest green blur.

Outside I heard Edward give Albert the final blow and call for his brothers to burn the pieces. I jumped up and ran to the battle hall. Broken chunks of drywall, broken picture frame glass, Caleb's blood, and white vampire parts were scattered everywhere, and Edward was in the center, breathing hard and shaking. Angry red and happy blue lights radiated off of him. He stood there looking up to the sky, eyes closed, whispering while Jasper and Emmett collected Albert and carried him outside to burn. Cautiously I walked over to my husband and rested my hand on his shoulder.

Eyes still closed he looked down at the ground.

"I thought I'd be happier when I got my revenge. This man took away my daughter, my humanity, part of the reason I continued to live, but now that he's met his fate…it almost feels wrong."

"You've still got us," I said. He smiled at me and looked my straight in the eyes. I stood on my tiptoes and kissed him. Carlisle, Esme, Rosalie, and Alice walked into the hall.

"It's over," happily sighed Rose. Alice was beaming next to her. The boys came back, looking as pleased as ever until they saw my face.

"Bella? What happened?" asked Jasper. Right on cue Leonardo and Angie stumbled out of the closet. Leonardo carried Caleb, less bloody and tightly wrapped in the blanket. All of the others gasped.

"I'm so sorry. If I would have known I would have done something," said Carlisle in a rush. I shook my head and smiled.

"He was ready to see Madison. The werewolf fell in love with the Halfling." Edward squeezed me lovingly.

"The Volturi are coming back," he said. Emmett and Jasper's colors snapped sky blue.

"They took over the burning," they explained.

"This was found with him," spat Marcus, holding out a piece of paper. The scrap had a crescent moon with the words: "Kings of the Moon fall to His mercy 12:12:12 12/12/2121. Let the Kings be known."


	15. Estremita Del Mondo

**I've posted 3 chapters & none of them have a review. I will not post ch. 15 until I get some feedback! You guys say you read this-PROVE IT! You guys don't know why nobody reviews- well, you be the exception!**

No one was sure what to do with Caleb. The Volturi seemed to think a cremation would do, but the wolves and my family strongly disagreed. Leonardo and Angie wanted to bury him at the Palace in Romania, the site of the first werewolf gathering, but I couldn't allow that either. Caleb deserved to be with his family back in La Push. Edward suggested one better- right next to Madison. In the end Aro allowed us to take the body to Forks.

There was no funeral because all of his family was already dead. On the night we arrived Emmett, Jasper, Edward, and Carlisle dug a grave next to Madison's tombstone. The two wolves gently lowered him into the ground and bowed their heads in respect. All together we threw the dirt back in the hole. It was still too early to be considered morning when we finished, but Aro had been very clear in his instructions: Return as soon as the task is complete.

"You guys go on," quietly said Edward, giving the shovel to one of his brothers. "Bella and I will catch up before dawn." I stared at Edward's soft navy blue glow as the others walked back to the cars.

"What's that about?" I asked, holding him tightly. He kissed the top of my head.

"I thought you'd want to visit someone." He took my hand and led me through the cemetery.

I tried not to look at the names carved in stone, but they jumped out at me. Benjamin and Angela. Michael and Jessica Newton. Tyler and Sarah Crawley. My old friends. Edward was literally dragging my through the maze of stone, his blue glow shinning like a beacon in the blackness.

"I know it hurts, but stay strong. Right here, Bella. I'm sorry you couldn't have been here when it happened." He lifted my head up to meet his sincere eyes. The blue light outlined his entire body making him look like a black shadow against the dawn.

I took a deep breath and looked down to see who Edward brought me to. Even in the dark I could see the engraved letters in marble.

CHARLES SWAN

LOVED FATHER, FRIEND, AND POLICE CHIEF

I wrapped myself around Edward and buried my face against his chest. He hugged me and rubbed my back. I wanted so badly to cry, but despite all the pain no tears came.

"I know you don't want to see it, but it's better this way. It was such a relief after I saw my parents' graves. He forgave us, right? Maybe…maybe Madison is right about hope. Maybe you'll see him soon." I looked up, confused.

"Just me?"

"Maybe Carlisle and Rosalie, too. You all have killed less than the rest of us by a wide margin. I don't know. I'm not sure of very much anymore," he confessed.

"I don't feel like arguing about that. Come on. Let's go," I said as I pulled him away.

None of us talked about Albert, Caleb, or the End after we got back. Leonardo and Angie left the city for good and promised to remember that not all vampires are evil. Pretty much life had gone back to the way it was before the war-except it was always pitch black outside, power was gone (except for expensive batteries), and more and more humans were dying from the freezing temperatures. Today's temperatures broke the record again at -50°F.

The Volturi leaders spent most of their time away from everyone, but every once in a while we would catch Aro, Caius, Marcus, and Carlisle talking in the Volturi's special rooms. The rest of us spent our time roaming the city or castle.

"Bella?" asked Edward one…it was impossible to tell if it was morning or night anymore.

"Yes?" I asked, looking up from my book. We were both laying on the couch listening to Debussy's Clair de Lune. Every shelf and table in the room was covered in lit candles. 

"What exactly did Madison tell you?" He seemed to choose his words carefully, and from his colors I could tell we was worried about something.

"About what? I thought you didn't believe me."

"It's very hard to believe, but you were right abut a few things. What did she say about the End?"

"Like I said before, she didn't say much. Humans won't survive to see the 'Blast.' Albert talked about Armageddon. Why? It thought we weren't going to worry about this."

"It's December eleventh. Look at the clock. 11:11." I looked up and smiled.

"Double digits. Make a wish." I laughed once and kissed him while making my wish. Never breaking, he tossed my book across the living room and held me closer to him. I locked my arms around his neck as he twisted his fingers in my hair. It would've been the perfect kiss if I hadn't felt and seen the tension.

At last he broke away and softly chuckled. I rested my head on his shoulder while I waited for him to talk. My patients grew thin.

"What did you wish?" I asked.

"Can't tell you. It wouldn't come true." He took my left hand and stroked the diamonds of my ring. The faint flickers of candle light threw tiny rainbows on the ceiling. I smiled and raised my arm higher to let the light reflect against the diamond heart Edward gave me the night her proposed. His hand ran down my arm and gently brushed the wooden wolf. He sighed.

"He would be surprised that you still wear that."

"Yeah. I am, too. He'd probably say I only wear it because of this." I lightly tapped the heart.

"Do you?"

"I only wear _that_ because it's a hand-me-down- a very_ expensive_ hand-me-down. I love both charms and the people who have them to me."

**CRACK!**

Edward and I both jumped off the couch and to the window. Outside, the few Tuscans left were sleepily scrambling out their doors and windows. Everything outside seemed normal- no wrecks, no explosions, no collapsing buildings. I looked at the black sky, almost excepting thunder and lightning even though the sound was too loud for that.

When I looked up it wasn't lightning bolts that I saw. Far off in the west was a great ball of fire falling straight at the Earth! The plummeting meteor had just smashed through the atmosphere and would make its mark in seconds.

The world was frozen in shock and we all watched the light grow and grow and…**CRASH!** I could hear the impact miles away and felt the tiny shiver through the old stone walls. Beside me Edward muttered a few choice words.

"Fuck, this is it. Alice saw it coming. It's why I asked about Madison. Come on," he whispered in my ear. Together we ran down the stairs, looking for anyone in our family.

"Edward! Bella!" cried Rosalie as she ran at us. A thunderous rumble echoed through the hall when she collided into Edward. They hugged for a minute like a close brother and sister, both of them light pink- family love.

"Can I just say sorry for everything?" she asked when they let go. Edward smiled.

"I forgave you long ago."

"Same here. Where is everyone? You'd think everyone would be out after the crash." She seemed scared or nervous…like Alice was when Jasper was away.

"Carlisle, Esme, Aro, Caius, and Marcus are talking to the fortunetelling guard. Alice and Jasper are on the top floor somewhere, and Emmett is looking for you. He was down here a second ago. It thought he'd run into Carlisle and Esme, but he's moving too fast to know what's really going on." Edward stood still, looking past his sister to focus on everyone's thoughts. I didn't want to distract him, but time was ending and so were our lives. I held his hand and waited for a reaction. He only smiled and went back to his work.

"He took the back stairs and is going to ask Alice where you are." And she was gone! Edward squeezed my hand and lead the way to our parents.

"Forget it Marcus! We can ask Alice, but is there really a point?" complained Carlisle. He ad the three Volturi leaders were in a semi-circle around a young boy, not much older than me. Esme was sitting next to the guard, comforting him after his failed attempts into the future.

"There you are," she said in her relieved, loving voice.

"What was that?" asked Edward.

"That was what we had hoped to find out," curtly answered Marcus, glaring at the guard.

"Was that it?" I asked. The meteor could've been the biggest to ever hit Earth- even bigger than that one in the Gulf of Mexico, the one that killed the dinosaurs. Still, that wasn't the "Blast" I was expecting.

"It couldn't be," said Aro, shaking his head. "but if it is you'll still be free at midnight. Your services are almost paid." Something just crashed into Earth, but we still have to "pay" till midnight! This is one of those moments that they prove they don't have a heart.

"There's more, but we've got some time before… before it happens," squeaked little Alice from behind. She, Jasper, Emmett, and a happier Rosalie were all standing in the doorway. Esme got up from the floor and hugged all of us.

"Please don't think that, Mom." Edward whispered in her ear when it was his turn. I saw Alice eye Jasper, and he looked at me for permission. I usually left the room or tried to talk him out of using his power, but tonight it was necessary.

He started before I was ready. A sea green wave swirled around Jasper and flew to Esme, surrounding her in the thick color until I couldn't see her anymore. Jasper was now a metallic silver with random shots of blue, orange, yellow, red, green, purple, and so on. The flashes of sudden colors hurt me eyes, and just as I closed my eyes I could see Esme's outline. She, too, was silver with random colors. I snapped my eyes shut and waited for all the silver and color shots to fade away. The whole process felt like minutes, but it only took a few seconds. No sooner had I closed my eyes did Jasper laugh and give me the OK. Cautiously I opened my eyes again and saw Esme with a normal peaceful green.

"Edward, Bella, Alice, Jasper. Go into town and keep people calm. Assure them that there's no reason to panic. Carlisle, my friend, it was good to know you. I truly hope your bizarre ways keep the hottest fires away from you. From all of you." Then the Volturi left out the front door while the guard ran out the back. Caius came back.

"Emmett, Rosalie, go release all the humans. Tell them they are free. If nothing _does_ happen we'll have the guards round them up later." I never saw any of the Volturi or the guards again.

The rest of us left the castle with no intentions of ever going back. The few, strong people of Volterra were all outside talking to family, friends, neighbors, and strangers. Everyone was a black silhouette behind orange lights. Jasper and I looked at each other and took a deep breath. Edward grabbed my waist and kissed my forehead before we began our work.

"Let's try to meet at the Clock Tower at midnight," said Alice as she scanned the town. We all agreed, and I grabbed Edward's right arm to double-check his watch. 11:55. Good. It still worked.

Edward tried to talk to people, but the slight language barrier and panic factor were beating us. Even in the worst of times they refused to believe in hope.

"Bella, we've tried. We've got one minute left. Let's go." He was glowing orange and romantic red at once- a new combination for me. I nodded, and hand in hand we walked between the clusters of families towards the Clock Tower.

The rest of our family wasn't there yet. Edward leaned against the tall clock, and I leaned against him. His right arm held me close while his left locked with min. He started humming my lullaby as we waited for the unknown.

"Do you remember the last time we met under here?" I asked.

"Of course. I was about to make the second biggest mistake of my life."

"Yes, but you thought you'd already died and gone to Heaven because you saw me."

"I was going to walk out in the sun at twelve o'clock. Can you see what time it is?" I looked up at the run-down clock.

"Twelve o'clock exactly!" I laughed. "What time is it now?"

"12:11! Bella, we made it!" He picked me up and spun me around. We were both laughing, enjoying our freedom, and celebrating life. Our private party was cut short. Carlisle, Esme, Alice, Rosalie, and Emmett were all running towards us at vampire speed. Rules didn't matter at the moment. We were all hugging each other. For once Alice was wrong, and it was the best thing to ever happen.

Everything went wrong. Right in the middle of Earth's rejoicing the higher powers had their final say. A meteor ten times the size of the first one smashed the atmosphere causing the gases around it to shatter like glass. The booming sound shook the air, moving it like a tidal wave in all directions. The fire surrounding the rock was bright enough to be the sun, and it was instantly daylight outside. The people were screaming and panicking all over the streets, all too busy to notice the eight sparkling people under the Clock Tower.

Without really knowing it, we were all hugging our mates. We all knew that this could be the last time we saw any of them again, and personally I couldn't take it. Edward rested his head on mine and sang my lullaby. I noticed that it calmed the rest of my family a little bit, too. Jasper looked down at his watch.

"12:12. Alice, make a wish. We have twelve seconds left." Even now he sounded so calm! I saw Alice mumble her wish into his shirt. Behind them Carlisle and Esme were comforting each other, and Emmett and Rosalie were staring deep into each other's eyes. I turned my head to give them privacy.

"Bella, I love you," said Edward in that hypnotic velvet voice. He tilted my head back, and I stood on my tiptoes to give him our last kiss. It wasn't full of tension and stress like the last one. He seemed relaxed and eager, and his light was white like diamonds. I closed my eyes to preserve the memory.

Even through my closed eyes I could see the building light of Armageddon soaring closer and closer to us. I could hear the crackling of the fire and feel the unimaginable heat, but all that was the background compared to the final kiss.

It was hard to hell in all the chaos, but it sounded like someone screamed, "La estremeitá del mondo!" as we felt the world tremble.

I was dead before I hit the ground.


	16. Lost

**YEAH! 3 reviews! Glad you guys like it. Only one more after this so don't expect an epilogue. Trust me, it wouldn't work no matter how bad I want one. I've tried and failed too many times. Enough of this. Here's "Lost"- not to be confused with the TV show. I won't post 17 until I get more reviews. Go for 4 this time!**

I felt heavy and empty at the same time. Eyes still closed, I rolled over on my back. This wasn't the rocky streets of Volterra; this was perfectly smooth. And cold. Groaning, I opened my eyes and looked up at the black emptiness above. I closed my eyes and opened them again to make sure I was seeing it right. I turned my head to the left then to the right, but everything was still the same never-ending, bottomless pit black.

I struggled to sit up and looked at myself. No cuts, scrapes, bruises, or broken bones. Well, _that's_ a mira- right. I'm was a vampire; I was bullet proof. So did I feel like I just fell from a ten story building? There was something else about me that was… _just fine_. I shouldn't have looked just fine if I felt like that. Those weren't the clothes I was wearing when… when _what_ happened? I couldn't remember, but I knew I wasn't wearing a modest, all black dress. What happened to my shoes? I ignored the strange feelings and stood up.

So now what? Everywhere I looked it was the same. I'd never felt so alone in my life. Something told me to walk straight, but where would I go? The feeling became more pushy, but I still ignored it, trying to come up with a plan- anything would do for the moment. The feeling was growing stronger the longer I ignored it until it bugged me so much I almost had to run to shake it off.

I couldn't remember how long I'd been walking, and I was becoming more and more anxious. I had to see something different soon. I had to hear something. Maybe if I changed directions…? No, the edgy feeling wouldn't let me stray away from my path. So I kept walking, never stopping, never changing anything. 

Occasionally old memories would refresh themselves, but they weren't happy. I remembered all the convincing lies (luckily there weren't many), the few lives I'd ended, and worst of all I remembered Madison's last day and all the mistakes we all made that day. I almost fell to the hard ground if misery, but the feeling forced me to walk on. Is this what Hell was all about? Make you remember the worst and keep you from saying sorry?

More time passed, and I wondered if I was moving at all. Maybe I was on the largest treadmill in the… place? What exactly was this place? Where was everyone? I could've sworn we were all together. What about Edward? My memories were a mess. The last thing I could really remember was being in the sun with him, kissing him. What happened?

There he was! Far, _far_ away was a chalky white man with beautiful bronze hair. He was as white as a light, directing all of my attention to him. It was like I'd seen him for the first time. Even from the great distance I could see the perfect, strong chin, and protective arms. I could picture his warm topaz eyes, and I almost melted right there. The demanding force was the only thing that kept me strong. Then, on a whim, I ran as fast as I could to him.

"Edward!" I yelled. His name echoed on and on into the dark, but if he heard me I couldn't tell. He was still walking slowly, unsure about his surroundings.

"Edward!" I called again. Still nothing. I slowed to a jog for a second. Should he be glowing orange in fear or red in love or blue in relief or happy yellow or… or _something_? His skin was ten times brighter than my own, but there was no light behind him. It was weird no to see his emotions. It was _normal_! I sounded like Alice when she couldn't see the future. I'd have to apologize for laughing at her if I ever saw her again. Anyway, I couldn't remember the last time I saw a live person without a color. Still, Edward was my husband, my soul mate, more. As long as I had him with me who cared what I could or couldn't see.

Edward's p.o.v.

I moaned a little and tried to remember what just happened. Nothing came to me so I tried to start with what I already knew. I was lying face down against something hard, black, and cold. I felt like a ton of lead, and it took all of my strength and will to stand up. I was alone. Not a good start.

I looked all around, but the scene was always the same- cold, dark, silent, and lonely. Where was Bella? I knew we were together earlier, so how did we get separated? Where was the rest of my family? Carlisle, Esme, Alice, Jasper, Rosalie, Emmett. I was consumed in fear and worry about everyone, and there didn't seem to be any hope in this godforsaken waste of space.

I called out, more in surprise than pain, from the sudden heat surge. Crap, this was it: Hell. Nearly two hundred years of preying on animals and leaving humans alone wasn't enough to replace those few years of rebellion. Or was it simply because of what I was rather than what I did? If that was the case it wasn't fair! I had no choice. I looked up to calm my rising anger. It didn't matter now why I was here; the damage was done.

A small urge poked at me. I had to move, to leave this one spot of confusion, but where would I go? Did it matter? The urge was growing and getting harder to ignore. I decided I could always change directions later. Something told me to go straight, and after that first step the feeling was gone. As long as I kept walking it would leave me to my thoughts; however the constant intuition was more pleasant than anything I had to remember.

Old human memories resurrected themselves for the first time in two centuries. There was the time my cousin and I took Grandfather's horses into the city even though we didn't know how to ride. Oh, the lies we came up with to save ourselves! I guess I'd always been a natural liar. More unpleasant memories of my stupid teenage years came back, and I sighed as I remembered all the promises I broke and mistakes I'd made. But compared to my vampire life those were small, simple, and unimportant. It was my rebellion that I was dreading to relive. I grimaced through the whole painful part. I tried to ask for forgiveness, but the feeling never let me slow down or stop for a second. I was forced to walk down this path of my sins until they were over.

At last Madison's funeral was over in my head, and I could breathe easy again. I could think clearly- almost. I was with Bella before…before…I couldn't remember that yet. I was with her though. Where was she now?

"_Edward!_" I stiffened at the sound of my name. It was so far, so faint that I could barely hear it. I looked around for my Bella, but if she was here I couldn't see her.

"_Edward!_" She called again. Louder this time, but visually nothing had changed. No, there was something different.

Two people- a man and girl- were standing in the distance. The man was beyond description, and there was little doubt about who he was. I never expected to see him, but that wasn't what shocked me. The girl standing next to him was as beautiful as her mother. The snow white child was a little over five feet and had glistening brown hair with bronze highlights- a close attempt at matching her father's hair. The wave of her hair hung gracefully on her shoulders. As I came closer I saw the excitement in her emerald green eyes. The change was never complete before she died; that must have been one of the human qualities she had left.

"Madison!" I called. She smiled like she used to after Bella and I would come home from hunts. I ran to her, ready to pick her up and hug her again. She seemed as eager to see me because she started to walk towards me. The man beside her rested his hand on her shoulder, keeping her quiet by her side.

"_Edward!_" Bella called again from the distance. Never slowing, I looked towards the sound of her voice and saw her running towards us all. 

At last we were together. Bella ran into me, but the thunderous crash didn't sound. I held her in my arms and frantically kissed the top of her head. Madison was almost laughing.

"I didn't think I'd see you again," cried Bella. I tilted her head up and saw the tears running down her cheeks.

"Hey, Mom. Hey, Dad. You made it," said Madison as her smile grew bigger.

"Now you learn your fate," boomed the Lord.


	17. Fate

**Tear this is the end. Please ask all the questions u can come up with because I'll need something to do now that I'm not writing. No, I don't think I'll write again until Breaking Dawn. I can promise no more Madison, though. Ok, Stephanie created the Cullens, the Indians, and all them. You know who's who's… I hope. If not we may have a problem. Oh! I think I was nicely threatened! THAT'S THE SPIRIT! Now, to save my cyber skin here's Fate and the reunion.**

There was so much to think! So much to feel! So many questions! I wasn't in Hell… yet. Edward was with me, and so was Madison! My black dress was not a egg shell color, and Edward's simple tunic was a light grey, and looked like it was once black but had been in the wash a few times too many. Our clothes looked filthy compared to Madison's brilliant white dress, but at least I finally felt good about myself.

Oh, and Madison! The white dress fit her well and complemented her chalky white skin. Her face is what captured me. He features were flawless… even the left side of her head. The awful mark that Albert carved in the side of her head a few days before her death was now gone! Her Mason green eyes showed brightly through her bronze hair, happy to see us again.

I reached out to touch her face and hug her, but she darted back behind the man… the Lord! Oh, crap! I- I mean, rats! I was in front of… Him! Not sure what to do, I fell to the ground in a deep bow. Beside me, Edward stood frozen.

"You can't touch me, Mom. Remember all those jokes we'd laugh at, the ones where vampires would burn up if they tried to open a church door? Basic concept here."

"Bella said you were a vampire, too," said Edward slowly, turning his head towards me.

"Mostly. I'm still a one-of-a-kind."

"Isabella Marie Swan Cullen Mason Hale," boomed the Creator. "I saw your struggle to get here, and that is enough. Rise. Edward Anthony Mason Cullen, you have suffered tremendously to arrive here. Both of you have repented, and begged to be forgiven. My law is that no vampire shall step forward into the Gates, but family is a unique type of vampire. Carlisle refused to accept the life he was thrown into, and he taught you all to behave like civilized humans. Everyone makes mistakes, and compared to your long lives, you haven't made too many. There is also another reason I feel I must be merciful. This young girl has been begging at my feet for the past hundred years, telling me only the best things about all of you. You owe her."

I was clinging to Edward's arm as I heard it. Behind us the air was getting hotter and hotter. We dared to turn around and saw a faint red and orange flame getting closer. Soon the heat was hot enough to make us worry. Was Madison's pleading not enough to save us? The flames opened up to show us the dark stairway down to the pit.

I looked up at Edward. I'd never seen him actually terrified before, but there was no mistaking the look in his eyes. Madison, however, looked calm as she gazed curiously at the fire.

"Hundreds of immortals are walking down those stairs right now, but there are still two families who have not completely made it here," He said. I looked back into the fire, afraid I'd recognize a face of the long line of vampires in the distance. There were a few familiar faces, but no one I'd weep for.

"You mean our family and Tanya's?" asked Edward, turning away from the fire. The Creator waved his hand, and the heat backed off and sank into the darkness.

"Yes, Tanya and her family are making this same journey to forgiveness. You have no need to worry about them. You'll see them very soon, but now isn't the time for that. There's a welcoming party behind me, and they're all ready to see their son, daughter, brother, sister, friends, and family. I'm sure Madison wants to find Caleb, too," He said.

"Ummm… Mom? Dad? You know how you said you'd be happy with any spices I chose? I know at the time we were only talking about humans and vampires, but…" Madison was biting her lip and looking everywhere except at us. Edward and I laughed.

"Caleb's been in love with you since you died. He told us," said Edward. Madison sighed and jumped a little in relief.

"One more thing before we go," He announced. We looked down at our clothes. The dirt was washed away until our clothes were as bright as Madison's.

"Thank you," whispered Edward, grasping my hand and twisting my wedding ring. Madison led the way to the golden Gates and up the cloud-like stairs. She pushed open the tall, heavy doors and stopped.

"Will you _please_ tell me what 'The Lion and his Lamb' means?" A tall, sturdy, brown hair man leaned against the Gate.

"They can tell you later, Sweetheart. Edward has a lot of catching up to do, and I _must_ meet my daughter-in-law."

"Grandfather! Don't I get any time with my parents?"

"Go say hello to the rest of the Cullens. In fact, go find Carlisle and Esme for me. Elizabeth and I should thank them for taking care of our son and our health." Reluctantly, Madison blazed through towards the glittering patch a few yards away.

"So that's what she meant," I muttered to myself as we walked inside. Edward was laughing hysterically next to me. I looked at him and noticed that we too shined like Madison. Our vampire skin was a hundred times brighter than we did on Earth and much more beautiful!

"Edward! Bella!" screamed little Alice. Behind her were Jasper, Rosalie, Emmett, Carlisle, and Esme- all sparkling just like us.

"Hurry up and hug them so we can have a turn!" laughed a husky voice to my right. I turned and saw the ten Quileute werewolves and their spouses. Standing beside Jake was Billy without his wheelchair and Charlie.

"Hey, kido."

"Vampires, huh? Never saw that coming," smiled scatter brained Renee; Phil waved behind her. _Everyone_ was there! All my friends, Gran, Edward's parents, family, and old friends.

"Bella, guess what. Our powers are gone. You'll never have to see colors again," said Jasper, the only person who knew exactly how I felt about my unusual power- not that I never liked it. It sometimes got in the way though.

"This will take getting used to, but I think I'll manage. How about you, Alice?" laughed Edward, hugging his little sister.

"Give me time," she laughed. We were all together again. No lies, no danger, no need for blood. I could be the daughter I was before Forks. I could be the friend Angela, Jessica, Jake, and everyone deserved. I could be the sister, the daughter-in-law (TWICE!), the wife my newest family wouldn't have to worry about. At last, I would be the mom I could not have been.

"Isabella! You've always been a fantastic mom. Now we can lie in the sun all day and night." And so we did for eternity ever after.


End file.
